Tuesday, April 7.

Hello Physicians, Physicians Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Nurses who are members of the Physicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence.

Thank you, Sisters and Brothers for being on the Front Line in this pandemic of

Covid 19 and taking care of all our other health issues as well! All health personnel are doing the work of heroes.

The Executive Committee of the PPGV wishes to reach out, to shake your hands, to show our appreciation for your performance in this time of trial. Of course, we can’t actually touch you as we would like, but your work gives us the necessary hope to live until we once again can. Shouts and cheers to you!

We pray for your safety.

We thank you. Stay well!

In peace,

Jerry and Andy

Dear Doctors,
As the New Year approaches we want to say thanks for supporting our work in 2019 for a safer Michigan.
Physicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence (PPGV) continues to grow. We are now well over 700 members. We are gaining voice with our public health approach to gun violence prevention (gvp). This voice is developing just in time as the toll of deaths and injuries is mounting- now passing automobiles.
PPGV has given grand rounds at many Michigan medical schools and primary care residencies. (We will visit your program if invited.) At these presentations we have gained both members and voice. With Governor Whitmer’s veto power we have not had to advocate in Lansing for GVP as often as the Republican legislature has not forwarded risky laws as in the past. And nationally, after years of prohibition there now is some money being appropriated to study gun violence.https://www.thetrace.org/2019/12/congress-gun-violence-research-budget-agreement-cdc-nih/
We are developing a GVP curriculum. Ours is modest, but in California the legislature just awarded over $3 million to UC Davis to develop curriculum there for their physicians. That’s exciting! https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article236257503.html?utm_source
The public health approach to gvp has many facets. Read or listen to David Hemenway, the director of Harvard’s Injury Control Research Center, speak on this recently.  Hemenway asserts that everyone has a role to play to stop the shootings- from manufacturers to police to pawn shops to gun owners to docs and more-everyone!https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2019/podcast/david-hemenway
The public is on board, the kids in many areas are energized, moms are demanding action, docs are in “our lane” uninhibited by the NRA and hope is on the ascent that we may start to reduce the burden of suffering from gun violence. Thanks for your work and support in 2019 and Happy New Year!
Jerry for PPGV

Three things to know for December for PPGV.
1.Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. Wednesday, December 4th, 2019 at 9:15 am Room 403 in the Capitol Building – a press conference.
We’ll hear from Senator Rosemary Bayer, Rep Robert Wittenberg, and Rep Brenda Carter. This is a great opportunity to learn about this important legislation, while supporting our elected officials who are fighting for the safety of our communities!
Later that day is
Vigil of Remembrance for Newtown MCPGV is hosting a vigil December 4 to support those impacted by gun violence and raise awareness of this critical issue.

Wednesday, December 4 at 7pm
St. Stephens Community Church
1007 Kimberly Dr, Lansing, MI 48912

2.Curbing Gun Violence: Strategies for Change/Live Webcast/D/ Harvard podcast with David Hemenway and others.https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/series/policy-controversies/
3.FallenAngels.
Good day. This year church of the Messiah will host its 12th annual “Fallen Angels” ceremony. Fallen Angels honors the innocent victims of gun violence. This year Fallen Angels will be a Christmas concert honoring innocent victims of gun violence. Family and friends will celebrate a day of peace and healing with others in the community who have experienced loss. We will honoring “Code 22” on December 22nd as a day of peace, no killing, and healing as outlined by pastor Ovella Davis of United communities of America.
Doors open at 3:30. The concert is at 4pm. Dinner will be served at 5:45.
We will gather with community and government officials, law enforcement, business leaders, religious organizations, and families and friends of those we lost to gun violence. All are welcome.
For more information contact Rev. Barry Randolph 313 6335331

Reflections on the FACTS Symposium, Monday, October 21, 2019

Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens- FACTs. The consortium and website. https://depts.washington.edu/hiprc/child-and-teen-firearm-safety-research-consortium-fund  www.childfirearmsafety.com https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › pubmed  

 (Dr. Rebeccah Cunningham’s UM team received a large grant from NIH to study Gun Violence and this symposium was an outgrowth.)

1.Most current data indicates 109 Americans die from guns every day

2.The differences between urban and rural attitudes and practices are real. A community advisory panel in rural areas felt defensive reading the message on the UM Injury Center’s handout for parents that “The Safest Home with children is a home with NO guns” as per the AAP (pediatrics.) What do we do about that- conversation starter?

3. The most successful way to ask about guns in the home may be to ASSUME THERE ARE GUNS and ASK ABOUT STORAGE e.g. “Are the guns in your home all stored safely?”

4. Dr. Joseph Eradi, an expert in school safety who was a consultant to Sandy Hook school after their tragedy has been touting the approach to recognize bullying, loneliness, weird behavior changes among students before lives are lost. He encourages kids to “SAY HELLO” i.e. practice inclusiveness, don’t let kids sit alone in the corner of the cafeteria, etc. and “SAY SOMETHING” if they see something worrisome. He is not a proponent of arming teachers. This program is the Sandy Hook Promise. https://www.sandyhookpromise.org

5. Declaring gun violence a public health crisis in America Dr. Patrick Carter pointed out there are 130 suicides/day and 130 opioid deaths /day currently in US. Both are crises, but only the opioid has been declared!

6. Youth and adults typically do not visit a mental health professional prior to suicide but many DO visit their primary care provider. Doctors should screen for depression—converse with patient appropriately—provide gun locks or help get gun/s removed from access. This could be facilitated by ERPO’s.

7. Youth who are vulnerable to violence seem to respond to a pilot program using a phone app which sends alerts and words of encouragement during the day, GPS monitors if kids are in “bad situations”, students receive rewards as incentive e.g. five consecutive days without carrying your gun.

8. Data indicate the predictable: in states where gun laws are more permissive school shootings are more prevalent

9. There appears to be some progress towards increasing federal funding for research related to gun violence

James Peggs, MD

1^ST Lobby Day

We are joining Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence Oct 30 to Lobby for GVP in Lansing. Can you come and lobby your representative? Register here. https://michigancoalitiontopreventgunviolence.salsalabs.org/legislativedayrsvp/index.html

PPGV Chart Notes for October

2019 Sports Medicine for the Primary Care Physician & Fall Update in Family Medicine. Drs J Peggs and J Walden presented on the Gun Violence and Injury Prevention- the Physician’s Role. We had 2 lectures and also a table. GVP is gaining recognition as a Public Health Crisis.

Upcoming: FACTS Symposium: Preventing Firearm Injuries Among Children and Teens: The State of the Science taking place October 21, 2019 from 7:30am-3:30pm. This is a large national conference at University of Michigan led by Rebecca Cunningham newly appointed Interim Vice President for Research. She has led the Injury Prevention Center at UM. PPGV has submitted a poster “Educating Physicians About Prevention of Youth Gun Injury”. Here is the information to register for the symposium by livestream. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/FACT/FMfcgxwDrcCfXqLtPGxgljSTxrPwQkDq

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI-UM) GVP Presentation Oct. 14.  S. Lewis and J. Peggs are giving a 2-hour early evening presentation. For ticket information https://www.olli-umich.org/

Grand Rounds –Nov. 21 at Western Michigan Family Medicine at 730 am. This follows an earlier WMU Pediatric GR.

Calling all Republicans. We need to find a republican legislator who will support or even introduce a Red Flag bill. (Maybe someone who has lost a relative to gun violence.) This legislation saves lives in states that have passed it. Can you help us with this?

JSWalden

PPGV Activity and Upcoming Events.

June 4 Visit to Oakland/Beaumont Family Medicine for second time.  Amy Seger, MD Program Director at Sterling Heights invited us to speak. Large group and lively discussion. 15 new members. M. Shearer and J. Walden presented.

June 8 Wear Orange March at Spirit of Detroit Plaza. Oakland Co. Moms Demand Action invited J Walden to speak along with Rashida Tlaib, Robert Wittenberg, and many others. Mary Sheffield, Council President Pro Tem emceed. It was a “spirited gathering” of several hundred, but saddened by the deaths we were honoring. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2019/06/08/michigan-activists-officials-rally- Silence the Violence gun-safety-detroit/1370656001/

June 9 Wear Orange in Ypsilanti. C. Farmer, S. Lewis and J. Peggs attended. See Facebook @physiciansforthepreventionofgunviolence to view photos.

June 29 Silence the Violence march in Detroit. J. Peggs and J. Walden wore white coats in this march begun more than 10 years ago.  Barry Randolph’s Church of the Messiah has a mission to youth- over 60% of his parish of 300 are young black males. Hundreds marched to reclaim the streets. Code 22 is Detroit’s effort to avoid any deaths on the 22^nd of each month. PPGV invited back.

August 2. Michigan Academy of Family Physicians Annual Meeting. Shanty Creek, Bellaire. C. Farmer and W. Wadland present “Gun Safety and Violence Prevention.” Join us for early am CME.

National movement to coordinate GVP with the Denver Accords. GVpedia wrote this spring and PPGV joined.   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6XXoU9CwvgRGMTrGiZEU_TWjx_16lDYAsjkEo0jAH2qBvOg/viewform

J.S. Walden

2018 Annual Report, PPGV       

660 physicians strong.

Mission Statement: Michigan Physicians: Educated and Empowered to Advocate for Gun Violence Prevention.

Operations. Our Executive Committee continues to meet monthly. Cochairs J. Walden and A.  Zweifler,Treasurer Zweifler, and Secretary E. Arneson. Membership T. Wilson, Welcome W. Whitehouse, Gov. Relations S. Dombey. Communication, S. Lewis. Others listed on panel.

1.Education. We made several Grand Rounds presentations.

Jan. 14, 2018 First Cong. Church, A2 (JP)

Jan. 26, 2018 Grand Rounds, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Det (JP,WMW*)

Feb. 9, 2018 Grand Rounds, U of Michigan Dept of Int Medicine (JP, SL)

UM student Psych clerkship (2018) Feb 19, Mar 22, May 31, Sept 10, Oct 18, Nov 12

March,2018 Traverse Bay School District, Journalism students (BW**)

May,2018 American Psychiatric Assoc. Annual Mtg, (NYC) SL

May 30, 2018 UM Preventive Med Residents, School of Public Health (JW, Peg S.)

June 2, 2018 Orange Out, Gun Violence Awareness Rally, Ann Arbor (SL)

June 14, 2018 First Presbyterian Church Hilltoppers, Ann Arbor (JP)

June 24, 2018 PEG (Protectors of Equality in Government) Ann Arbor (SL,JP)

October 25, 2018 MSMS Annual Sci Mtg (SL, AW, CF, JP)

October 30, 2018 Kalamazoo Med Soc (WMW, JP)

November 14, 2018 Grand Rounds, UM Family Medicine (JP, JW)

*WMW, Walter Mac Whitehouse **BW, William Bill Wadland

2.Curriculum. PPGV continues an affiliation with UM Psychiatry Department making a popular presentation to UM medical students (15-30 at a time) as part of their 3^rd year clerkship in psychiatry. PPGV psychiatrist Sonya Lewis is our primary presenter with an assist from J. Peggs and others occasionally. PPGV presents to every UM medical student.  Our presentation continues to evolve during our presentations depending on our audience. The presentation to the psych students focuses on suicide, domestic partner abuse and children’s accidental deaths. Homicides, mass shootings, gag laws and stand your ground laws are included in other grand rounds. Our medical student opportunity, begun in 2016, is considered crucial to developing the physician voice in the struggle to prevent gun violence and we have plans to take the curriculum to other med schools and programs in 2018

3.Advocacy. PPGV advocated for gun safety legislation by attending several legislative hearings in Lansing and marches and rallies in support of efforts to prevent gun violence.

Lame Duck session- Although there were hundreds of bills brought forward (over300) the gun safety associated bills were not a factor.

We now have a new Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State- all women and allies. Although GVP should be a bipartisan effort having these new officers gives PPGV better working partners as all are considered pro GVP.

At the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Annual Meeting A. Kittendorf, P. Rockwell, J. Walden brought Resolutions 18.04 which passed by acclamation.  These four resolutions, first authored in Scientific American, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/4-laws-that-could-stem-the-rising-threat-of-mass-shootings/ claim to reduce GV injury and death. https://www.mafp.com/system/:tenant_id/ckeditor_assets/attachments/2158/original2018_2019_proposed_resolutions.pdf The MAFP Advocacy Committee will bring them forward in 2018.

4. Publications and Letters to the Editor.
   Lewis, S.Washtenaw Jewish News Review of Wallenberg Award winners. https://www.washtenawjewishnews.org/PDFs/WJN_Dec_Jan_18_web.pdf P. 16.

Lewis,S. Parkland Anniversary Rally:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XdNkrLV1BSEuxZmfKKoetwiGTTmGnooHTCB7xAk86N4/edit

Lewis,S. ERPO.  Protectors of Equality in Government. https://equalityingov.org/2019/03/extreme-risk-protection-order-legislation-can-prevent-gun-suicide/

Lewis,S. Marching for Lives.  MCH Amer Ass Pub Health

https://mailchi.mp/31ceca62ea46/mch-section-spring-newsletter

5.Media, Art and Celebrations. We attended the Washtenaw Co. Sheriff’s Spring Annual Gun Safety Day.

June 2. Wear Orange Day.  S. Lewis spoke along with other Michigan leaders.

Dec. 13 PPGV cosponsored #EndGunViolence Day 6^th year after Sandy Hook. S. Lewis spoke.

6. Meetings. Dr. Walden continued membership on the MAFP Advocacy Committee. Drs. Farmer, Shearer and Walden are WCMS and MSMS members.

7.Partners. PPGV remains a member of Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. We are working with MAFP and through it reaching out to the Pediatricians and ER physicians to build a coalition. Locally, we have a strong group of physicians at Trinity Hospitals who continue to work with us. County and State-wide help from Washtenaw Co Med Society and Michigan State Medical Society remains vibrant. One focus is building a physician movement that includes current groups in Michigan and the US.

8.Recruiting /Activism. We continue to work for a gun-free environment in our hospitals and clinics and in public spaces. With leadership from Dr. Whitehouse we were able to recruit several medical directors from St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor. We continue to work with leaders at other Trinity Health hospitals in southeastern Michigan as well as IHA. We continue to search for partners.

We hope you will enjoy reading PPGV’s 2016 Annual Report. We had a productive year and we are pleased to share our accomplishments with you.

PPGV 2016 Annual Report

Happy New Year, Doctors!

We have a brand new year and an exciting one at that! Our issues with gun safety and the gun violence crisis will share the spotlight with others in health.

We 400 physician scientists still have a good deal to say about the state and nation’s health.

In 2017 We are hopeful that better data backed by congressional funding of the CDC will inform our science. This, of course, is one of 4 laws that many medical societies supported in the “Call to Action” in the Annals of IM.https://www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/more-than-two-dozen-organizations-join-call-by-internists-and-others-for-policies-to-reduce-firearm

At year’s end PPGV had two happy events in Michigan. The Ann Arbor School Board (AASB) was victorious in its defense of the right to prevent guns in schools at a hearing before the State Board of Appeals. Several of us heard the court question the plaintiffs and rule unanimously (3-0) against them. No guns in Ann Arbor schools (like no guns at court). Dr. Sonya Lewis’s high school daughter, Sarah, was interviewed on MLive and was passionate about her view that guns were unwanted at school. Listen here. http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2016/12/gun_advocates_wary_of_oral_arg.html#incart_2box_news_ann-arbor

Hopefully this decision supporting local school boards’ rights will make the law called “preemptive punishment” that was introduced last year harder to reintroduce. That law saddled local entities with court costs if they chose to oppose state law and lost. This punishment would block dissent through the courts in such cases as AASB’s.

And in December we met with Chris Matus, Senator Gary Peters’ Regional Director. We felt we had an excellent meeting. We know that as a new US senator we were getting early attention from a powerful person. Mr. Matus agreed that the public health model is best and that reframing children’s deaths as “preventable, not accidental” is also important. Phone calls to all our representatives are the best value when we advocate. The meeting was attended by Drs. A. Zweifler, C. Farmer, W. Whitehouse, S. Dombey, and J. Walden. Follow-up is planned.

Again, Happy New Year! Thanks for your support of PPGV!

Next meeting Jan 17 at 7 PM. Let us know if you would like to attend.

Dear Docs,

Recently the American Medical Association announced that it has resolved to join the battle to promote the “Call to Action” raised by eight national health professional organizations and reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2015.

The AMA now joins The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Psychiatric Association, and The American Public Health Association in calling for:

• Universal background checks
• Restrictions on civilian use of military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines
• Elimination of “Gag Laws”
• CDC funding for gun violence research.

These medical organizations are joined by the American Bar Association, which asserts that the recommendations are not in conflict with the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Cheryl Farmer, a member of our PPGV executive committee and the Michigan State Medical Society, authored the resolution that led to this result. Cheryl wondered why the AMA wasn’t a part of the 2015 “Call” and wanted “the Big Mama” to join us in the fight. She took her resolution from PPGV to the Washtenaw County Medical Society to MSMS and finally to the AMA. And we won! Read about it here:  https://wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/ama-joins-call-action-stem-tide-gun-violence.

This success shows the way in which organized medicine, through our county and state medical societies, helps physicians protect the public interest. It also shows how PPGV (430 members strong, and growing!) can use its focused commitment to the prevention of gun related injury and death to steer the power of the AMA toward the righteous cause of sensible gun laws. Thanks go out to all: Dr. Farmer, PPGV, WCMS, MSMS, and the AMA!

Statements from our new president–elect suggest that the work ahead of us may be even harder. But as we have seen, much can be accomplished when we work together! Cheers!