Table of Contents
Austin’s Office of Violence Prevention, established in 2021, has initiated various violence prevention programs throughout the city. Recently, staff from the office participated in an event hosted by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, focusing on community violence intervention and collaborative work to build a network of Offices of Violence Prevention (OVPs) to ensure community safety. OVPs are based on the idea that community safety should not solely rely on policing and the criminal justice system, but should also address public safety through the lens of public health. Austin’s Office of Violence Prevention has launched programs such as Address Your Stress and Safe Storage Saves Lives to reduce violent outcomes in the community, as well as the state’s first Trauma Recovery Center to support survivors of violence. The establishment of OVPs has been a response to the surge in violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in September 2023, President Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The National Offices of Violence Prevention Network (NOVPN) is a learning community that aims to increase the expertise and effectiveness of OVPs and similar agencies, and has grown to nearly 60 members since its establishment in 2021. The NOVPN partners with the White House’s National Office of Gun Violence Prevention to facilitate access to OVPs. This initiative represents a significant step in addressing and reducing gun violence in the country.
