OhioHealth Joins First-of-its-Kind Gun Violence Prevention Initiative to Curb Impact of Firearm Injuries and Deaths on America’s Youth

OhioHealth Joins First-of-its-Kind Gun Violence Prevention Initiative to Curb Impact of Firearm Injuries and Deaths on America's Youth

For three consecutive years, firearm injuries have been the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States. On Feb. 27, the Ad Council, in partnership with OhioHealth and a coalition of healthcare and business leaders announced a major new social impact program to address the gun violence crisis facing youth in our country. The Ad Council's "Agree to Agree" campaign is grounded in the understanding that there is a lot people already agree on with children at the center of this crisis and aims to start conversations from these places of agreement to reduce the impact of firearm injuries on children and teens in the United States.

As the first national cross-sector youth gun violence prevention campaign bringing together health care and business, the new initiative provides people with tangible actions that can help decrease the impact of gun related tragedies on children and teens in the United States. While many may believe that gun violence is a divisive topic with limited opportunity for alignment on solutions, research shows common ground exists, especially around the impact of firearm injury on children and teens. This first-of-its-kind effort, "Agree to Agree," comprehensively addresses the issue by building on shared beliefs to address the full spectrum of the impact of gun violence on children and teens in the United States, inclusive of firearm suicides, intentional and unintentional shootings. By convening partners across the advertising, business, health care, marketing, media and tech industries, the coalition led by the Ad Council aims to create meaningful change.

Gun violence and its impact on children and teens is a national crisis, one that affects the lives of Ohio residents. In an effort to protect our local communities, OhioHealth is supporting this nationwide initiative and working to make an impact locally as well, focusing on providing education to our patients and the communities we serve, and events such as an upcoming gun lock box giveaway in June at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center for Gun Violence Prevention Month.

"OhioHealth treats a considerable number of victims of gun violence," said Shay O'Mara, MD, Clinical VP, Surgery, OhioHealth Clinical Enterprise. "With five trauma centers in the OhioHealth Trauma Network, our providers are prepared to engage with patients, families, and care givers about proven safety practices. Through this campaign, we hope to be a local leader in driving meaningful change by initiating collaborative conversations and finding common ground actions that can make our community safer. Death from gun violence is preventable, and we all have a role to play in protecting children and teens. This is one of the most important public health crises of our lives."

In calendar year 2024, OhioHealth treated 423 gunshot wounds among its five trauma centers and its Freestanding Emergency Department network.

The "Agree to Agree" campaign is based in the common ground Americans share, raising awareness of the fact that everyone - both gun owners and non-gun owners - can agree that firearms shouldn't be the leading cause of death for children and teens in this country. The series of PSAs include one for parents and those with children and youth in their lives, showcasing real kids uniting to help adults recognize that children and teens should be protected from firearm violence. The PSA directs viewers to AgreeToAgree.org where individuals can learn about gun violence and how they can take action in their homes and communities to prevent firearm injury and death. Another PSA in the series features health care professionals speaking directly to other clinicians on the unique role they hold to help prevent firearm injuries through collaborative conversations with their patients. The video instructs health care professionals to visit AgreeToAgree.org/HealthCare for resources on how to have supportive gun violence prevention dialogue with families.

For more information on the "Agree to Agree" effort and to access resources such as conversation guides and shareable graphics that educate and empower audiences to take individual steps to protect communities and children, visit AgreeToAgree.org.

About OhioHealth

Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.

Serving its communities since 1891, OhioHealth is a family of 35,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 16 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health and other health services spanning a 50-county area. It has been recognized by FORTUNE as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" 15 times since 2007. For more information, visit ohiohealth.com.