2015 Policy Agenda
The Safe States Alliance 2015 Policy Priorities are to:
- Increase funding to CDC for the Core Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP)by $13M to ensure all states[1]have basic capacity needed to allow for coordinated and comprehensive injury and violence prevention program.
- Support continuedfunding of $20M to CDC for Prescription Drug Overdose (PDO) for conducting surveillance; convening partners; identifying, implementing and evaluating prevention strategies; and working with clinical providers to reduce prescription drug overdose in highly impacted states.
- Increase funding for the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to $25M to expand implementation nationwide. This increase in funding should be in addition to existing funding currently allocated to the CDC Injury Center for injury and violence prevention programs.
Safe States will coordinate and collaborate with partners to:
- Preserve and maintain the Prevention and Public Health Fund(PPHF) and ensure that sufficient resources to address injury and violence issues and needs.
- Maintain funding for the CDC’sPreventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grantat $180M and restore funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration’sMaternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant at $640M. Given the current lack of a national funding for injury and violence prevention programs, the PHHS and MCH Block Grants provide critical support for state and local health department injury and violence prevention efforts.
- Increase the CDC’s Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) funding by $5M to support evaluation efforts and strengthen the evidence base for the prevention of rape and sexual violence.
- Support the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, including resources for CDC for the surveillance and educational efforts related to preventing, recognizing, and responding to TBI, and for HRSA for services and support to individuals and families with TBIs.
- Support the reauthorization of the next federal surface transportation bill (currently Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century - MAP-21, including increased funding for programs to improve safety for all road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, drivers and passengers).
- Restore funding for CDC’syouth violence preventionactivities to $19M.
- Fund the CDC to conduct further research on the causes and prevention of firearm-related violenceand injuries.
- Increase funding for the CDC Winnable Battles and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control’s (NCIPC) focus areas including, but not limited to: motor vehicle-related injuries, violence against children and youth, prescription drug overdose, and traumatic brain injury.
Safe States will monitor and support efforts to pass federal legislation on specific injury and violence prevention topics, as well asmaintain and/or increase funding for public health and injury and violence prevention capacity(e.g.,Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Suicide Prevention Program,Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, National Center for Health Statistics, Violence Against Women Act, poison control centers, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) data enhancement and awareness, etc).
December 12, 2014
[1] States include territories and the District of Columbia