SUB-PROBLEMS INCLUDING LEADING TO IMPAIRMENT AND BEST PRACTICES FOR VIOLENCE-RELATED INJURIES (INTENTIONAL INJURIES)

A discussion of intentional injuries will briefly cover: intimate partner violence; teen dating violence; homicide, assault, and suicide; teen violence; child abuse; and abuse of the aging. Almost

17,000 people in the United States were murdered in 2009 and more than 37,000 committed suicide. Assaults account for more than 1 million injuries each year. Homicide is the second major cause of death and suicide the third among teens and young adults. About 750,000 emergency room visits by children and teenagers each year are due to violence. More than 33% of women and 25% of men in the United States have either been raped, exposed to physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. The cost of violent death is $47 billion, while the cost of suicides is $26 billion and the cost of homicides is $20 billion. Teen violence includes that which happens at school, gang-related violence, and bullying. Child abuse and abuse of the elderly contribute to this severe situation that needs to be corrected in our society.

Best Practices for Violence-Related Injuries Prevention

• • Gather and analyze accurate data on all forms of violence in order to determine causes and then determine means of prevention to reduce the intentional injuries.
• • Develop effective services with federal, state, and local governments working with voluntary agencies for victims of violence including providing shelters, legal aid, counseling, and financial assistance where needed.
• • Develop a plan to obtain rapidly protection orders for the abused and enforce them rigorously.
• • Provide screening and counseling for individuals involved in intimate partner violence, with special attention to teenagers, with no out-of-pocket expense according to the Affordable Care Act.
• • Allow minors to get civil protection orders and special health services as needed.
• • Require that schools teach Best Practices in the prevention of teen dating violence and other teen violence including all types of physical, verbal, and electronic bullying.
• • Establish appropriate rules and regulations concerning all types of violence to be followed by the young people and then use strict enforcement when the rules and regulations are violated.
• • Educate the public about the safe storage and use of guns.
• • Provide suicide hotlines and teach young people that if one of their friends appears to be severely depressed and is contemplating suicide, they should discuss this with the proper medical authorities to preserve life and prevent injury.
• • Teach in the schools and strictly enforce the message that violence, harassment, bullying, and intolerance will not be accepted and that there will be severe penalties for the individuals exhibiting this type of behavior.
• • Develop a team of outreach workers respected by the community who are highly trained and who can detect and interrupt violent actions before they occur and when they start.
• • Provide afterschool programs for children to keep them off the streets and doing something productive instead of getting into trouble.
• • Provide adequate amounts of quality food for every child so that no one goes hungry during the course of the day.
• • Equip young people with necessary work skills and appropriate language skills to obtain afterschool jobs and provide work for them to make these young people productive members of society. They will not only contribute to the growth of the economy and help extend the life of the Social Security program through their taxes and, most importantly, will have a feeling of achievement which will help keep them out of trouble.
• • Provide Best Practices programs to prevent child abuse and neglect by parents, caregivers, and others. Teach appropriate parenting skills and provide information on what resources are available when the situation becomes one that is difficult to cope with.
• • Implement home visitation programs by public health workers where there are at-risk family situations especially in families having financial and health difficulties and there are pregnant women or young children present.

• • Establish a program to prevent shaken baby syndrome.
• • Where children are removed from the home and placed in the care of the state, there must be strict follow-up and supervision by highly qualified individuals to ensure the health and safety of the child.
• • Public health workers should be trained to see the signs of elder abuse. Where this occurs, the situation must be immediately reported to the appropriate authorities and action taken to protect the health and welfare of the older person. Special training should be given to all caregivers of older people including those in nursing homes and other facilities. If the situation is too difficult for the caregiver, other resources must be made available to protect the health and safety of the individual.