Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention and CeaseFirePA host listening session on firearm suicide prevention

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The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and CeaseFirePA recently teamed up to host the fourth stakeholder listening session for PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. This meeting brought together local and regional experts and organizations to discuss strategies and policies to prevent suicides by firearm.

“While many people think of mass shootings and community violence when they hear the term ‘gun violence,’ the fact is that most firearm deaths in Pennsylvania are from suicides,” said Samantha Koch, interim director of PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. “We know firearm suicides are preventable, and by having open and honest conversations and listening to those on the front lines, we can develop strategies to bolster support for individuals in crisis, reduce access to lethal means, and save lives.”

In 2022, there were 1,941 firearm-related deaths across Pennsylvania, and more than half (55 %) were firearm-related suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, guns are used in the majority of suicides (54%) and homicides (78%) across the Commonwealth.

“This is about more than just statistics,” said Dr. Jay Breneman, director of firearm suicide prevention and Stoneleigh Fellow at CeaseFirePA Education Fund. “It’s about recognizing the everyday realities faced by Pennsylvanians, partnering with communities to break the silence and stigma surrounding this crisis, and fostering life-saving solutions that honor their unique values and experiences. Today’s listening session is the first step in this important process.”

Pennsylvania has made significant investments in public safety and public health initiatives in recent years to address this issue and has seen some positive developments. The number of homicides statewide decreased by 16% overall in 2023 — compared to 12% nationally.

Philadelphia was one of 29 Pennsylvania counties that saw declines in homicides in 2023, with that trend continuing so far in 2024 with homicides down 40% year-to-date.

While progress has been made, too many Pennsylvanians are still impacted by gun violence.

Firearm-related injuries remain the leading cause of death for children and adolescents, exceeding motor vehicle crashes.

Rates of firearm suicide among youth have also increased over the past decade, tripling among Black youth and doubling among Hispanic/Latino youth.

Pennsylvania’s gun death rate for youth is on par with the national average, and its firearm fatality rate overall is significantly higher than surrounding states.

In response, Gov. Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-02 on Sept. 9, re-establishing the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention within PCCD.

Takeaways from the listening tour will drive the work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention as well as inform Pennsylvania’s federal FY 2024 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) Funding Plan.

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