California already has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, yet is still grappling with the dangers of mass shootings and other gun-related violence.
To expand solutions for ending gun violence, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced a 40-point Gun Violence Prevention Platform.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the health department, sat down with “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen to explain why looking at gun violence through a public health lens will help keep people in Los Angeles safe.
“In this case, it allows us to understand that there’s work to be done to prevent violence, there’s work to be done to intervene," Ferrer said. "And then, of course, there’s response activities that we need to do to really diminish the ability of any person or group of people to wreak havoc in our communities."
The platform details how the department plans to intervene and get people the mental and emotional help they need before inflicting acts of violence.
“None of us are born with a toolkit that tells us how to effectively manage our emotions and manage our relationships with other people,” Ferrer said. “So part of what we need to do with others is build those sorts of skills, so that all of us feel very comfortable in handling what can be explosive emotions.”
Ferrer noted that people who commit acts of gun violence often are dealing with past traumas in their life that have caused them to lash out with violent acts. Part of the department’s new plan is to normalize seeking help, which has been stigmatized in the past.
“We need to understand hurt people are much more capable of hurting other people, if they can’t get on a path that allows them to heal from those initial hurts,” Ferrer said.
While the new gun prevention platform addresses issues beyond legislative matters, there is a section dedicated to partnering with lawmakers to prevent people who intend to inflict harm from processing guns. As well as advocating for banning high-capacity assault rifles.
“I don’t think anybody, anybody wants to live with the fear that so many people experience now, especially the fear about our children’s safety and the safety in our community,” Ferrer said.
Ferrer explained how more investments need to be made specifically in schools to help students get the emotional services that they need to be healthy and thrive.
LA is also dealing with another public health issue because a federal judge in Texas banned the abortion medication mifepristone.
In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom secured a stockpile of two million doses of misoprostol, an alternative abortion medication.
The banning of mifepristone is now in legal jeopardy and has Ferrer worried about what this ruling could mean for the future of health care.
“The idea that a judge could negate a decision made by the FDA — around the safety of medication — is absolutely frightening,” Ferrer said.
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