DoP represents at 2025 Firearm Injury Prevention Summit

June 27, 2025

Guns are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the United States. As firearm injuries continue to claim lives, it is vital to explore effective strategies to reduce these tragic incidents.

On June 6, 2025, “Preventing Firearm Injury Through Purpose and Policy 2025” — hosted by the Baker Institute Center for Health and Biosciences — brought together leaders with backgrounds in community advocacy, health care, policy, and research to promote awareness, create collaborations, and develop actionable recommendations to curb this epidemic.Group of people in front of backdrop

UTHealth Houston faculty were at the forefront of the planning and execution of this event. The Department of Pediatrics was represented by:

  • Associate Professor and Community and General Pediatrics Division Chief Sandra McKay, MD, FAAP, delivered welcome remarks, moderated a panel on violence prevention, and ended the day with closing remarks.
  • Assistant Professor, Child Safety and Integrated Care Division, Alison Shellman, PhD, spoke on a suicide-prevention panel.
  • Associate Professor, Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Zoabe Hafeez, MD, MPH, moderated a youth panel.

Through presentations and panel discussions, participants discussed secure storage, community violence prevention, advocacy, education, and intervention programs — all while addressing the multifaceted challenge of firearm injuries and identifying crucial next steps to enhance prevention efforts.

Collage of people speaking at conference