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The Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), housed in the Department of Public Health, developed the 40-point Gun Violence Prevention Platform in June 2022, following horrific mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, and significant increases in firearm injuries and deaths in LA County including a mass shooting in Monterey Park on January 21, 2023.
Our mission is to ensure that communities in LA County are safe and free from death, injury and trauma caused by gun violence.
View Gun Violence Prevention Platform Agenda
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Platform Strategies include:
- Supporting robust common sense gun safety legislation including the reinstatement of the federal ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines and a federal law mandating universal background checks for all gun sales, including those conducted by private sellers.
- Increasing access to comprehensive culturally relevant physical and mental health services for all students, K-12 and enhancing school safety.
- Promoting social connection and healing through access to safe spaces and programs that address harm, trauma, and the impact of violence.
- Increasing violence prevention, intervention, and healing programs to promote a culture of peace within neighborhoods.
- Increasing awareness of Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs) through a public awareness campaign that will inform and educate the public on California’s landmark GVRO law including what GVROs are, how to apply for one, who can apply for one, the application process, and how to access resources that can provide assistance.
- Developing a communications plan to elevate the issue of gun violence as a critical public health issue, and that creates clear statements on the root causes of gun violence, GVP activities, and gun violence as predictable and preventable.
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Gun Violence Prevention Workgroup and Subcommittees
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In June 2022, the Office of Violence Prevention called together a diverse group of over 30 county and community partners to establish the Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) Workgroup. The Workgroup quickly prioritized four key areas for action to address the public health issue of gun violence in LA County. Subcommittees will advance strategies in each of the four priority areas identified by the Workgroup and which are listed below. The findings, activities, and impacts of the Subcommittees will be incorporated into a report, scheduled to be released in the summer of 2023.
Legislation
Advocate for robust gun safety legislation locally and nationally, including the reinstatement of the federal ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines.
Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO) Awareness
& Enforcement
Improve awareness and enforcement of Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs), in partnership with courts, communities and law enforcement. Ensure systems and messaging are accessible and culturally relevant.
Social Connections
& Healing Services
Promote social connection, healing, and a culture of peace through safe spaces and programs that address harm, trauma, and the impact of violence, and promote community togetherness, embrace diversity, and nurture belonging, respect, self-determination, inclusion, and access.
School Safety
& Services
Increase access to comprehensive culturally relevant physical and mental health services for all students, K-12 and enhance school safety. Implement Pilot Initiatives in two to three school districts.
Gun Violence Prevention Workgroup findings, activities and impacts will be incorporated into a final report, scheduled to be released in the summer of 2023.
Gun violence is preventable. The GVP Task Force is dedicated to ensuring that all families and communities are safe from gun violence across LA County and beyond.
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Join a local chapter of one or more of these organizations to learn about strategies, local activities, and actions you can take to stop gun violence.
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For those who wish to learn more about how to work with others taking action to prevent acts of violence, please use our toolkit below:
Toolkits
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Communicating About Gun Safety
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Open and honest communication about gun safety is a fundamental aspect of preventing tragic incidents and fostering responsible gun ownership. It empowers individuals to make informed decisions and safeguards the well-being of our communities, especially when it comes to safeguarding our children and addressing the risks associated with firearms. Below are links to resources and toolkits on how to communicate about gun safety:
- Be SMART: Secure Gun Storage Saves Kids' Lives
By sharing the Be SMART message, you are helping to emphasize the importance of responsible gun ownership and secure gun storage. Ultimately, secure gun storage prevents kids from accessing guns. When we protect our kids from the dangers of gun violence, the whole community stands to benefit.
- The TALK Project - WoMen Against Gun Violence
The TALK Project puts life-saving information in the hands of over 500,000 Southern California elementary school families—printed materials available in Spanish, Armenian, Korean, and English that help parents and caregivers talk with their children about guns and, importantly, help parents and caregivers talk with their friends, neighbors, and family about guns and safe gun storage. Free gun locks are also distributed upon request.
- AAP’s Ask About Guns
The American Academy of Pediatrics - media campaign toolkit for pediatricians to ask about gun safety and storage.
- Responsibility As Common Ground: A Communications Guide For Reframing Gun Safety In America
This communication guide demonstrates the common ground between gun owners and non-owners. It seeks to help align conversations, promote common purpose, and inspire effection action to reduce gun violence in the United States.
- Strivingforsafety.org
The Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission designed this website to support you and to increase safety for yourself or a loved one, friend, colleague, or client when suicide risk is elevated. Limiting a person’s access to means by which they may cause themselves harm is called lethal means safety, and here you’ll find information about a range of strategies to promote safety in times of crisis or in anticipation of crisis. Adding time between thoughts of suicide and a person’s ability to obtain lethal means for an attempt represents a practical, lifesaving approach to prevent suicide.
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OVP Statement on the Mass Shooting in Monterey Park
On Sunday morning, we awoke to the all too familiar news of yet another mass shooting in America.
This time, the event occurred in Monterey Park, home to Los Angeles County residents and employees. The alleged gunman then traveled to Alhambra, intending to harm more people. Only the intervention of two extraordinarily brave individuals - who took the gun away - prevented a second tragedy.
Our hearts and thoughts are with the families and communities impacted by this horrific event.
There are still many questions surrounding this mass shooting; the 36th in America in 2023. We don’t know the killer’s motive or motives, how he obtained the weapons, and whether he gave off warning signs that he might be capable of committing such a senseless act.
What we do know is that a peaceful, joyous Lunar New Year celebration at a local dance hall was turned into a scene of death and chaos in a matter of seconds. Most of the deceased and wounded are in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. Their grieving families – whose lives will never be the same - are left to wonder why.
Last summer, the Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), housed within the Department of Public Health, worked with a diverse group of county and community partners to develop a 40-point Gun Violence Prevention Platform, which offers a range of critical strategies designed to reduce the scourge of gun violence that threatens communities across Los Angeles County. In the next several weeks and months you will be hearing more about the Platform and its groundbreaking work.
Only through sustained, collective action to reduce gun violence and gun culture can we create a better society, where all of us, from infants to older adults, can live in peace and security.
Incidents of gun violence and loss can affect both children and adults. Attached and following are a list of resources in case you, a loved one or a family member are experiencing distress.
Resources
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health 24/7 ACCESS Center at (800) 854-7771 to receive crisis counseling, assessment, and referrals.
- Disaster Distress Hotline this helpline, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), provides immediate counseling for people affected by any disaster or tragedy. Call (800) 985-5990 to connect with a trained professional.
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offer 24-hour confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call 988 to connect with a trained counselor at a crisis center in your area. Support is available in English and Spanish via a live chat.
- Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource for Veterans of all ages and circumstances. Call (800) 273-8255 then press “1”; or text 838255, or chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net to connect with 24/7 support. For TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.
- Crisis Text Line offers free and confidential support 24/7 throughout the United States. Text “HOME” to 741-741.
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At Monterey Park event, President Biden Announces New Gun Safety Measures
This week, President Biden took action on a number of fronts in response to the epidemic of gun violence faced by many communities in Los Angeles County and across the nation. He announced these initiatives on March 14 in Monterey Park, which was the scene of a horrific mass shooting in January 2023. Actions include increasing the number of background checks prior to firearm purchases, increasing public awareness of legal protection orders and safe storage of weapons in the home, and providing the public and elected officials with additional information about federally licensed firearms dealers who are violating the law. (View the White House information fact sheet here.) These measures are consistent with various points outlined in the OVP Gun Violence Prevention Platform that was developed last year in collaboration with county and community partners.
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LA City, Los Angeles County Sign Violence Prevention MOU
MOU Enhances Cooperation in Several Critical Categories
Building on a long-established record of working together to reduce violence, LA City and the County of Los Angeles through its Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that enhances inter-governmental collaboration and cooperation in several critical areas, including initiatives to reduce gun violence, gang intervention services, joint training to strengthen and increase capacity for staff and agencies doing prevention and intervention work, and support for community based events. View the MOU here.
The MOU, which is in effect now through 2025, was signed by Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.
“During the pandemic we saw significant increases in community violence, including homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults across the LA Region. This MOU will formalize and focus the ongoing communication and collaboration between LA City and LA County, which is critical for supporting community based prevention, intervention and healing strategies that have greater impact and effectiveness.” Andrea Welsing, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention, Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention
Top Row, (L-R)
Andrea Welsing, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention, Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention; Reginald Zachery, Director, Gang Reduction and Youth Development, City of Los Angeles; Anne C. Tremblay, Deputy Chief, Problem Property and Public Protection Division, City of Los Angeles.
Bottom Row, (L-R)
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.
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