Developed by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) and funded by the CDC through the Safe States Alliance, the toolkit offers practical guidance for advancing upstream, community-based suicide prevention. It includes real-world strategies, customizable messaging, and tools for building partnerships, securing funding, and tracking impact.

This resource was shaped by a national working group of suicide prevention experts who meet regularly to guide this effort, alongside insights from focus groups with a range of perspectives and experiences. It builds on the 2023 Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Framework and aligns with both the CDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action and the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

Designed for anyone working to create stronger systems of care, from coalitions and local leaders to schools and workplaces, this toolkit can help create the conditions where all people feel connected, supported, and able to thrive.

🔗 Learn more and access the toolkit: https://theactionalliance.org/upstreamsuicideprevention

More about this work:

Aligned with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s (Action Alliance) strategic priorities, Moving Suicide Prevention Upstream: From Resource to Action offers guidance on communicating upstream suicide prevention in ways that resonate across audiences. This work is informed by a dedicated working group of suicide prevention experts from across the country who meet monthly to advise and shape the guidance, as well as insights from a series of focus groups representing a range of perspectives and experiences.

The toolkit also draws on key resources including the CDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action and aligns with the goals of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Building on the 2023 Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Framework developed by Association of State and Territory Health Officials (ASTHO), CDC, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), and Mental Health America, this project was led by the Action Alliance with support from the CDC through the Safe States Alliance, and identifies practical, actionable strategies to advance upstream, community-based suicide prevention nationwide.

Public health professionals from Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Nebraska, New York, and Washington receive highest honors

ATLANTA, August 26, 2025 (Newswire.com) - Each year, the Safe States Alliance honors its members and partners for their contributions to the field of injury and violence prevention (IVP). This year's award winners collectively demonstrate commitment to innovation, excellence, and vision to advance the field of IVP.

Read the full press release here.

For this survey, it’s helpful to understand the distinction between traditional and nontraditional data sources:

• Traditional Data Sources: These are the established, standardized, and often institutional data sources you're likely familiar with in public health surveillance, including IVP. Think of things like hospital records or mortality statistics.
• Nontraditional Data Sources: These are emerging, community-based, or unconventional data sources not originally intended for injury or violence surveillance, but that can offer valuable insights. This may include things like social media posts, community surveys, or geospatial data.

This survey focuses specifically on your experience and perspectives regarding nontraditional data sources in IVP. It should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. You can access the survey here.

For this survey, it’s helpful to understand the distinction between traditional and nontraditional data sources:

• Traditional Data Sources: These are the established, standardized, and often institutional data sources you're likely familiar with in public health surveillance, including IVP. Think of things like hospital records or mortality statistics.
• Nontraditional Data Sources: These are emerging, community-based, or unconventional data sources not originally intended for injury or violence surveillance, but that can offer valuable insights. This may include things like social media posts, community surveys, or geospatial data.

This survey focuses specifically on your experience and perspectives regarding nontraditional data sources in IVP. It should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. You can access the survey here.

Safe States Alliance is proud to be part of the new Keep America Safe Coalition, which was launched to protect the CDC Injury Prevention Center. We know many of you are looking for ways to speak up for public health right now. Here’s an important opportunity. 

Our coalition wants to share the incredible work being done in all 50 states to prevent injuries and keep Americans safe. Two of the biggest challenges we face are preventing deaths from overdose and suicide. The Injury Center plays a huge role in those efforts, but the Administration has significantly cut its funding and staff, and some members of Congress want to dismantle it altogether. 

That’s why we're asking for your help: our coalition is looking for powerful stories about overdose prevention and suicide prevention in communities across the country. Help us paint a clear picture about lives that have been saved and communities that have been helped thanks to the Injury Center’s efforts, and why policymakers in Washington, D.C., must continue to fund this lifesaving work!

Stories from the following states are particularly helpful.

• Alabama

• Alaska

• Arkansas

• Kansas

• Kentucky

• Louisiana

• Maine

• Mississippi

• Nebraska

• North Dakota

• Oklahoma

• South Carolina

• South Dakota

• Tennessee

• Utah

• West Virginia

• Wisconsin

Stories can be short anecdotes, in-depth articles, powerful images, or even a single quote or data point. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, please reach out to comms@safestates.org or visit the Keep America Safe Coalition website link below to tell us about your work and our communications team will contact you.

Please share your story at https://keepamericasafe.info/share-your-story

Need help navigating the world of IVP? Check out Safe States' newest product release, the Mapping Out IVP Microsite! A digital roadmap designed to connect IVP professionals to resources for strengthening the practice.

To share this tool with your network; utilize our social media toolkit.

The Safe States team has recently created a searchable directory to help you identify individuals and organizations within your regional network.

Safe States provides coordination and support to five regional injury and violence prevention networks. Each network operates autonomously to meet the needs of the states and territories represented.

View our searchable directory to find organizations and individuals within our five regional networks. 

To learn more about the regional networks, view our website or contact Shelli Stephens-Stidham. 

ATLANTA, November 12, 2024 (Newswire.com) - For the fifth year, on November 18, buildings, bridges, monuments, and homes across the country will shine green to recognize the importance of preventing injuries and violence, the number one killer of people 1-44 years. The color green is often associated with safety, growth, and prosperity – all things we want for our communities. Safe States and the nation’s top prevention advocates, unified in our common vision of safe, healthy communities that prioritize all people, no matter who they are, where they live, work, travel, and play, have joined forces to celebrate and recognize National Injury Prevention Day (NIPD).

NIPD is a day dedicated to working collectively to reduce the burden and instances of injuries and violence plaguing communities. Preventing injuries and violence is possible by creating environments where it's less likely to happen. This is done by improving systems and conditions in the community through research-based policies and programs while empowering individuals with knowledge and tools to make the safe choice the easy choice. Safe States joins the Injury Free Coalition for Kids®, and other leading organizations, including Safe Kids Worldwide, American Trauma Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, Be SMART - program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, Trauma Center Association of America, Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, Gun Owners for Safety – Giffords, and Columbia Center for Injury Science and Prevention, to empower and equip communities to make a difference. The full list of supporting organizations is here.

Barbara Barlow, MD, Professor Emerita of Surgery in Epidemiology at Columbia and Founding Director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids®, firmly believes that “it takes a whole community working together to create a community safe for children and families.” She is thrilled with the continued growth and success of NIPD, which reaches far beyond a single day.

NIPD activities begin November 12.

The country’s top IVP organizations will address the need and promise of prevention with a “Unifying Voices” webinar at 1:00 p.m. EST. Featured presenters include Dr. Allison Arwady, CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; Dr. Lois Lee, Boston Children’s Hospital; Dr. David Schwebel, University of Alabama Birmingham; and Dr. Sadiqa Kendi, Children’s National Hospital. Register here.

On November 18 at 1:00 p.m. EST, join the live conversation on Twitter/X with hashtag #BeInjuryFree. That evening, buildings in cities across America will shine green to highlight the burden of injuries and the need for prevention. Throughout the weekend, IVP professionals will lead activities and distribute tools to create safer communities. Learn more https://www.injuryfree.org/nationalinjurypreventionday/2024

“It has been exciting to see the growth of support for NIPD, now including a cross-section of some of the leading public health organizations in the country. United, we can reduce the incidence of injuries and violence,” Safe States Executive Director, Richard Hamburg adds.

Access the complete News Release here.

When: Wednesday's 10:00 am - 1:30 pm EST

What: This meeting time provides an opportunity for me to share more with you about Safe States membership benefits and resources available to you while also answering any questions you may have about our organization and its members and partners.

Where: Schedule a 30-minute timeslot today!

Public health trailblazers from Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington receive highest honors

Safe States and 164 national, state, and local partners oppose the drastic cuts proposed to health programs by the House Appropriations Committee and call for maintaining investments in injury and violence prevention.

Public Health Professionals From California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas & Washington Receive Highest Honors

The CDC has awarded a five-year cooperative agreement to the Safe States Alliance to strengthen injury and violence prevention programs at State and Local Health Departments

Public health professionals from North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington elected to serve on the Safe States Alliance Executive Committee

ATLANTA, June 15, 2023 (Newswire.com) - During a month that recognizes and celebrates diversity and freedom, the Safe States Alliance is pleased to release Building Equity into Safer States - new guidance for integrating anti-racism, health equity, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into state-level injury and violence prevention (IVP) programs.

Developed through foundational work that began in 1997, the fundamental elements that are critical for high-functioning state-level IVP programs are known as the "core components." With nearly three decades of data and experience to draw upon, Safe States elevated the following six core components, integrating equity within each, as essential for an effective state IVP program:

• Build and sustain a solid, equitable, and stable infrastructure.
• Equitably collect, analyze, and disseminate injury and violence data.
• Select, implement, and evaluate effective program and equitable policy strategies.
• Engage diverse partners for collaboration.
• Effectively communicate culturally responsive information to key stakeholders.
• Provide health equity training and technical assistance.
  

While the original "Building Safer States" report was developed primarily for those involved in state-level IVP efforts, history has demonstrated that these core components are applicable in a variety of practice settings. "While the core components have stood the test of time as essential elements of capacity for a program, there is growing recognition that equity must be at the forefront of each and every aspect of these components," notes Richard Hamburg, Safe States Executive Director.

Health inequities in the United States are rooted in systems and structures that have historically underserved or oppressed certain groups. The burden of intentional and unintentional injuries is often higher for African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, American Indian and Alaskan natives, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized communities. Equity, therefore, must be at the foundation of any IVP program to truly have an effect on disproportionate burdens.

The new "Building Equity into Safer States" expands upon the previous editions and supports the work of IVP professionals, advocates, funders, researchers, elected officials, and the many other partners who are working to prevent injuries and violence. Integrating anti-racism, health equity, and DEI principles within each core component is essential for true prevention, and Safe States celebrates programs operationalizing these crucial considerations across all aspects of their work.

Safe States' efforts to elevate and incorporate equity within IVP are also guided by a vision and call to action supported by nearly 50 local, state, and national organizations. The vision and call to action were developed in concert with the National Collaborative for Health Equity, based on the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation framework. The document details recommended actions that IVP practitioners and researchers can take to support more equitable outcomes for disadvantaged populations now and into the future.

Learn more about Safe States and its commitment to equity in IVP here.

ATLANTA, May 30, 2023 (Newswire.com) - The Safe States Alliance was awarded an "NVDRS Partner Award" in recognition of exemplary support for developing and improving the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) as a valuable resource for violent death data at the recent NVDRS National Conference in Milwaukee, WI. Paul Bonta, Senior Policy Consultant for Safe States, accepted the award on behalf of Safe States and all its members working to position NVDRS as the go-to data resource for violent death prevention efforts.

"We are honored to accept this award in recognition of our longtime commitment to promoting the importance of and strengthening the NVDRS as a critical component of a public health approach to violence prevention. But our role is far from done, and we will continue to work with our national partners by leading a workgroup focused on securing additional resources for program infrastructure, growth, and innovation," said Richard Hamburg, executive director for Safe States.

The NVDRS is a state-based surveillance system that pools more than 600 unique data elements from multiple sources to create a more complete picture of the circumstances surrounding violent deaths. NVDRS collects facts from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, law enforcement reports, and toxicology reports into one anonymous database. The data elements provide valuable context about violent deaths, such as relationship problems; mental health conditions and treatment; toxicology results; and life stressors, including recent money- or work-related or physical health problems. In a time when instances of violence are on the rise, timely, quality data is critical to developing prevention programs and initiatives.

Over the last decade, Safe States has been an instrumental partner and champion for implementing and expanding NVDRS, now in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. Since 2011, Safe States has convened partners, educated policymakers on the need for continued and expanded funding, and developed resources to ensure states have the tools necessary to maintain a robust program that can build the evidence base required to inform the design and implementation of state-based violence prevention programs.

Highlighting collective lessons learned, Safe States published, "NVDRS Following Nationwide Implementation - A Review of the History, Successes and Challenges" in 2020. Learn more about Safe States and access other national reports, state-based resources, and tools to support the implementation of NVDRS here.

Formed in 1993, the Safe States Alliance is the only national non-profit organization and professional association comprised of public health injury and violence prevention professionals representing all U.S. states and territories. Safe States' mission is to strengthen the practice of injury and violence prevention and be the recognized leader and driving force in understanding and preventing injuries and violence, a leading cause of death for ages 1-64 in the U.S.

Source: Safe States Alliance

Learning from the past helps to shape the future and save lives.

Atlanta, GA - May 1, 2023 - The Safe States Alliance is celebrating 30 years of progress in preventing injuries and deaths. Injury prevention is often overlooked in public health discussions; yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the first half of life, more people in the United States still die from violence and injuries — such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, suicides, homicides, or opioid overdoses — than from any other cause, including cancer, HIV, or the flu.

In May 1993, more than a dozen state health department leaders recognized the need to strengthen their capacity to apply a public health approach to prevent injuries and violence and established the State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Association - STIPDA - the organization that went on to become the Safe States Alliance in 2013. This approach involves systematically treating injuries and violence as predictable and preventable outcomes, as we do with infectious diseases, nutrition, and other public health priorities.

Guided by a common mission - to strengthen the practice of injury and violence prevention (IVP), Safe States members have successfully established a strong foundation, developing core competencies for IVP, improving surveillance and data analysis, and advocating for policies and investments. These efforts not only established Safe States as a recognized leader in the field, but have helped expand the science and broaden the practice, moving beyond keeping individuals safe to improving conditions in communities (e.g., access to employment, education, healthcare, and social connections) that influence overall health outcomes.

According to Safe States Executive Director Rich Hamburg, "It's important to communicate that injuries and violence are not accidents or inevitable events. They are predictable and preventable. At Safe States, we support a vision of a nation free from injury and violence where all people are safe where they live, work, travel, and play."

These efforts remain essential and critically necessary. Despite significant progress, preventable fatalities remain high. In the U.S., every 11 minutes someone dies by suicide. On average, 124 people die from firearm-related injuries and 112 from motor vehicle crashes daily. About one in three women and one in four men report having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner. These incidents remain a significant burden costing the U.S. an estimated $4.2 trillion in medical and work loss costs annually.

"Now more than ever, Safe States remains unwavering in our commitment to further strengthen the public health infrastructure necessary for prevention," added Hamburg. Safe States is home to 700+ professionals representing local, federal, and tribal public health, healthcare, community-based organizations, students, and academic researchers.

To learn about Safe States or how to support the organization's work, check out the 30in30 series highlighting accomplishments over the last 30 years, as well as the most recent annual report.

Safe States is wrapping up our special feature of Black public health pioneers recognizing the achievements and contributions of Joycelyn Elders, MD - a pediatrician and the first U.S. Black Surgeon General. Safe States member Sonia Williams from the Louisiana Office of Public Health reflects on what Black History Month means to her and the significant contributions of Dr. Joycelyn Elders in this week's short video feature. Celebrating Dr. Joycelyn Elders A pediatrician, advocate for sexual education, and first Black U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders is a pediatrician and public health administrator. Dr. Elders was the first person in her family to pursue higher education through a scholarship to attend Philander Smith College in Little Rock. Inspired by the career and achievements of Edith Irby Jones, the first African American to study at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, she decided to pursue medicine as a career. Following her service in the U.S. Army's Women's Medical Specialist Corps, Dr. Elders graduated from the Arkansas Medical School and quickly paved her way to being appointed chief pediatric resident, followed by professor of pediatrics at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. Notably, she was the first person in the state of Arkansas to become board certified in pediatric endocrinology. In 1987, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton appointed Dr. Elders as head of the Arkansas Department of Public Health. There she was a fiercely outspoken advocate for expanded sex education and drug legalization, causes that were highly controversial among conservatives and religious groups. Yet despite the opposition, Dr. Elders expanded the state’s prenatal care program, reduced the teen pregnancy rate, nearly doubled childhood immunization rates, and increased home-care options for the chronically or terminally ill. Largely because of her advocacy, the Arkansas Legislature mandated a K-12 curriculum that included sex education, substance-abuse prevention, and programs to promote self-esteem. In 1993, appointed by President Bill Clinton and in spite of opposition from conservative critics, Dr. Elders became the first U.S. Black Surgeon General. During her 15 months as Surgeon General, she continued to advocate for the possibility of drug legalization and contraceptives in schools. Dr. Elders is currently professor emerita at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and regularly lectures about teen pregnancy prevention and other public health topics. Watch Now! Over the last month, we highlighted the accomplishments of Dr. Deborah B. Prothrow-Stith, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, and Dr. William Carter Jenkins. We hope you enjoyed learning about the significant contributions of these four exceptional Black public health pioneers. If you missed any of the past features or want to revisit their stories, you can access them all here.

New! IVP360 Module - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in IVP Expand your knowledge and skills through a brand-new IVP360 training module dedicated to exploring foundational activities and ideologies to embed health equity practices within injury and violence prevention. The FREE self-study sessions highlight the basics of defining health equity and its importance, how it’s incorporated into social ecology, equitable and anti-racist communications and framing, and finally evaluation methods. Safe States members can earn 1.75 continuing education credits (CEUs) for completing this module, in addition to seven CEUs for completing the four previously released IVP360 training modules.

Recognize your Peers Recognize your peers for their outstanding contributions to strengthening the field of injury and violence prevention and advancing health equity. In addition to five other prestigious awards, Safe States seeks to recognize members who have helped to make a substantial impact to improve equitable outcomes and/or reduce inequities impacting the field with the new Advancing Health Equity Award. The deadline to submit a nomination for yourself or a peer is March 17, 2023.

Share your Knowledge Share your work to advance health equity and anti-racist practices at Safe States' 2023 Annual Injury and Violence Prevention Conference. Abstracts of 250 words or less related to all aspects of injury and violence prevention will be accepted for oral breakout presentations, lightning talks, or interactive learning lab formats until 5:00 PM local time on March 3, 2023.

Equity in IVP - Access Tools & Resources

Explore ways to engage, access curated tools and resources, and learn how Safe States is fulfilling our commitment to promoting racial healing and racial equity in our organizational policies, practices, and values on our newly launched Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion webpage.

Don't miss learning about the exciting equity-focused work happening in communities in our case study series.

Access week one's feature on Dr. William Carter Jenkins (February 6)

Access week two's feature on William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (February 13)

Access week three's feature on Deborah B. Prothrow-Stith (February 20)

Download the 2/1/23 statement

https://www.newswire.com/news/injury-and-violence-prevention-represented-on-panel-addressing-21933987