CHA Joins Ad Council and Coalition of Hospitals and Health Systems on Gun Safety and Violence Prevention Initiative

Children's Hospital Association (CHA) and CEO Matt Cook announced the endorsement and investment in a new gun violence prevention initiative led by the Ad Council and a coalition of hospital and health system leaders at the 5th Annual Gun Violence Prevention Forum, presented by Northwell Health on Feb. 27, 2024.

Launching in January 2025, the new initiative will be a five-year public awareness campaign, including a coalition-based, multi-audience approach that mobilizes the advertising, media, and marketing industries to tackle gun violence prevention and gun safety in America.

This campaign builds upon the success of Northwell Health's Hospitals United public awareness campaign on gun safety and violence prevention. The goal of both campaigns is to dramatically reduce firearm deaths and injuries, especially to our nation's children and teens.

CHA and children's hospitals will invest financially in the campaign as well as offer strategic insights and expertise on this public health issue as providers of child health care and employers of frontline health care workers who treat children's physical and emotional trauma after gun violence.

"Gun violence is a public health crisis for children and their families," said Matt Cook, CEO of CHA, the national voice for more than 200 children's hospitals in the United States. "Children's hospitals are on the frontlines of pediatric emergency care, treating children and teens as they heal from the acute physical and enduring emotional wounds of gun violence, and supporting their families as they recover. It is our duty as an association of children's hospitals to bring awareness to the youth gun violence crisis and we are proud to join with other hospital leaders in a campaign to make children safer."