Preventing Targeted Violence through a Public Health Approach

Targeted violence, where an attacker selects victims to cause mass harm, poses a persistent threat to public health in the U.S. Since 2016, public health officials have played a growing role in prevention, using a model that includes primordial prevention (shaping social conditions) and primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to promote protective factors and engage at-risk individuals. 

This presentation highlights evidence-informed practices for strengthening social cohesion, resilience, and community trust, drawing from real-world prevention programs. Panelists will discuss integrating targeted violence prevention into existing initiatives, upskilling practitioners, adapting to community needs, and using program evaluation tools like pre–post studies and focus groups to scale effective solutions.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and explain at least three evidence-informed interventions to prevent targeted violence through a public health approach.
• Describe ways their own community can incorporate targeted violence prevention interventions into their own existing public health initiatives.