Item Description:
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Designating Gun Violence as a Public Health Priority in Hennepin County - offered by Commissioner Edelson
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WHEREAS, gun violence is a complex and urgent public-health and safety issue that affects individuals, families, and communities across Hennepin County, contributing to trauma, destabilizing neighborhoods, and exacerbating disparities in health, education, housing, employment, and justice; and
WHEREAS, data from the Hennepin County Community Health Assessment (CHA) 2024-2028 and Minnesota vital statistics demonstrate that firearm-related deaths in Hennepin County increased by approximately 68%, from 79 deaths in 2014 to 133 deaths in 2023, with suicide comprising the majority of firearm deaths, followed by homicide, and with disproportionate impacts on youth, veterans, and communities of color; and
WHEREAS, the Hennepin County Community Health Assessment (2024-2028) identifies violence including firearm violence - as a key driver of premature death, trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and long-term mental and physical health outcomes, particularly in communities already experiencing structural inequities; and
WHEREAS, gun violence constitutes a public health priority because it is predictable, preventable, and socially transmissible in its effects - spreading trauma, grief, and fear across generations; increasing adverse childhood experiences; and producing ripple effects on mental health, education, economic stability, and community cohesion; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County's public-health framework recognizes that firearm violence can be prevented through coordinated, cross-sector efforts led by Public Health, Safe Communities, Behavioral Health, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), the Hennepin County Attorney's Office (HCAO), the Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCCR), and Hennepin Healthcare Systems Inc. (HHS); and
WHEREAS, the HHS Level I Trauma Center provides lifesaving med...
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