Community-Academic Partnerships for Firearm Violence Prevention

Who we are

The Community Firearm Violence Prevention Network is a National Institutes for Health (NIH) supported community-academic research collaboration working to prevent firearm violence across the United States through developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative community-based interventions.

The Network consists of a Coordinating Center, Steering Committee, and multiple research projects testing community-level prevention programs designed to reduce firearm violence and violent injury. These prevention programs are also designed to address the root causes of firearm violence by focusing on the structural determinants of health.

The research projects have two-phases: 1) A two-year pilot phase (UG3) to develop fundamental data to support the broader intervention, and 2) A three-year large-scale research trial (UH3) that tests the efficacy of the intervention developed in the pilot. This innovative approach accelerates the science by combining piloting with the trial in a defined timeline to maximize research output.

This research will add important knowledge to the existing field of firearm injury prevention science, and together with our communities will develop innovative evidence-based programs to decrease firearm injury and death.

 

Collaborative

The Network generates multi-site scientific collaborations and provides coordination, training, and technical assistance to NIH-funded community level research projects and the communities they serve. Each research project works collaboratively with community-based organizations to conduct the research, to ensure that all aspects of the programs developed are in line with the unique needs of our communities.

Community Focused

Our research network strives to generate equal partnerships between community and academia to create new knowledge and actionable research. Our community partners are members of the research team. This is essential to ensure programs are responsive to cultural issues and local interests, address relevant disparities and equity issues, and are sustainable if found to be effective.

Capacity Building

The Network allows communities and academic researchers to share knowledge, refine skills, collaborate on best practices, and train future researchers and communities to collectively confront this public health crisis. This Network provides the tools and resources needed to strengthen the field of firearm violence prevention science that will build capacity to enhance future research and develop programs to address firearm violence.

Our People

Learn more about the team behind the Community Firearm Violence Prevention Network

Featured Profile

Alaya Freeman, BA

Communication and Dissemination // Project and Program Management // Social Media //

Alaya Freeman is the Outreach and Training Project Manager for the University of Michigan Coordinating Center and manages the Communications & Dissemination Core. Ms. Freeman joined the Community Firearm Violence Prevention (CFVP) Coordinating Center in February 2024 as an Outreach and Training Project Manager. She also provides support for the Institute at large, working on […]

This research is supported by the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U24HD111315.

The content of this website is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.