Virginia needs a state center for gun violence prevention
Virginia has made meaningful strides in improving public safety, and advocates across the state see every day how progress is possible. Many groups are on the ground leading critical work to address gun violence. However, without centralizing efforts, much of this life-saving work could be fragmented or even wasted. That is why I am supporting a state level agency devoted to addressing gun violence as a public health crisis.
A new statewide center would serve as a hub to coordinate strategy, prioritize equitable funding for community programs, and support data collection, research and effective policy implementation. As Virginia prepares to pass major improvements to its gun violence policies, this is a pivotal moment to build on that momentum by adopting a public health approach to preventing and reducing gun violence. The result will be safer, healthier families and communities.
In 2024, 1,153 people in Virginia died from gun violence. That means, on average, one person is killed every eight hours. Firearms are involved in most homicides and suicides in the state, accounting for 83% of homicides and 61% of suicides. Advocates, survivors and public health professionals see the impact of these numbers every day — in emergency rooms, in classrooms and in communities struggling to heal. Coordinating efforts across Virginia would bring together a unified strategy for preventing and reducing harm from firearm violence.
House Bill 969/Senate Bill 364 would establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center within the Department of Health. The bill states that the center will serve as the primary resource for research, best practices and strategies for the implementation of firearm violence intervention in communities across the state. The bill also requires the center to evaluate the violence intervention programs and policies it funds, coordinate federal grants and provide training and technical assistance.
Local agencies and community organizations often work alone, but a state-level center would provide direct guidance on best practices and help with collaboration — while allowing groups to remain independent. Established community groups are intimately aware of what their neighborhoods need to thrive and are often best positioned to deliver interventions and education to the members they serve. They are already doing vital work across Virginia, yet often operate in silos, compete for limited funding or lack capacity. A dedicated center would help align investments with evidence-based solutions, ensuring resources are being implemented effectively and equitably. It would also be able to assess current programs, identify gaps and unmet needs, and develop a comprehensive roadmap for coordinated efforts.
A growing number of states are investing in similar centers to better address all forms of gun violence occurring in their communities. Today, 15 states and Washington, D.C. have offices for gun violence prevention. These offices build the necessary infrastructure to allow state agencies and community programs to collaborate and share research and data more efficiently.
Several Virginia localities already have violence interruption programs including Newport News, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth and Roanoke, among others. Many Virginia areas with high gun violence rates also have hospital-based violence intervention programs, which engage with shooting survivors following an incident to prevent retaliation.
In Newport News, law enforcement and city officials say efforts are paying off, reporting a historic reduction in violence with an overall 46.7% decrease in gun violence and 61.7% decrease in homicides from 2023 to 2025. Newport News officials credited the progress to coordinated leadership, data-driven policing, targeted crime reduction strategies, and strengthened community-based prevention efforts.
The evidence is clear. Progress achieved in cities such as Newport News demonstrates that meaningful collaboration and coordination save lives. With bold leadership from our lawmakers and a commitment to solutions that work, Virginia can become a state where more people survive, and more communities thrive. The path forward is proven, and the opportunity to save lives is within reach.
Lori Haas of Richmond is advocacy manager at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Center for Public Safety.