Addressing gun violence across sectors in Durham, North Carolina

Firearm-related death and injury are largely preventable. Coordinated efforts across sectors, including government, healthcare, and community partners, can substantially reduce firearm-related mortality and harm. Durham, North Carolina has a wide range of successfully implemented programs working to combat gun violence harm from many angles. Here, teams from several initiatives with partners across Duke University and the Durham community describe goals, outcomes, and challenges faced in their collaborations. These efforts represent multisectoral partnerships to improve support and resources for victims of gun violence, especially among racially marginalized individuals and communities. The landscapes shaping this issue and responses to it are explored, and individual partnerships are emphasized in shaping which initiatives are feasible. The incidence of gun violence is approached as a public health challenge. Together, these initiatives demonstrate a continued need for sustainable collaborations working to reduce inequities in gun violence. They emphasize the importance of grounding harm reduction efforts in trust and supporting prevention efforts with accessible resources. Successful interventions and programs are designed with significant involvement of the community, deliberate shared leadership, and early alignment of partnership goals. While local contexts will always shape this work, the successes of these programs may provide guidance for other communities working toward equitable firearm injury prevention and harm reduction strategies.