New York state has announced a first-in-the-nation pilot program aimed at reducing gun violence is coming to Buffalo and Rochester.
The program works to equip health care providers who work in hospitals with training to assess firearm injury risk.
As part of the program, $1.5 million in funding from the New York state Office of Gun Violence Prevention will go toward the initiative.
Strong Hospital in Rochester and Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo will take part.Â
“New York is leading the way with proactive, commonsense strategies to prevent gun violence and save lives,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “This pilot gives health care providers new tools to identify risk and connect people with support, while our gun lock initiative is helping families safely store firearms and protect their loved ones.”
Patients 12 and older who volunteer can be screened and could be offered safety resources and referrals.
Some of those resources include gun locks, guidance on safe storage, extreme risk protection order support and referrals to community-based violence prevention programs.
“Gun violence remains a serious public health crisis,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “This investment supports our dedicated health care professionals by ensuring they have the tools they need to identify potential risks and link individuals with resources before a tragedy can occur.”
State leaders also announced results of an initiative to distribute more gun locks.
Service providers and law enforcement agencies gave out more than 10,000 gun locks in the last year.Â