The University of Michigan is to assess the impact of a school-based secure firearm storage campaign in Michigan. The study, starting in 2025, aims to curb firearm injuries and deaths among youth by promoting safe storage practices.
In an effort to combat firearm injuries and deaths among children, researchers from the University of Michigan are set to evaluate a school-based secure firearm storage campaign. The initiative, funded by a nearly $1 million grant from the National Institute of Justice and led by End Gun Violence Michigan, aims to ensure firearms are stored securely when minors are present.
The campaign will launch in several Michigan schools, targeting both urban and rural settings to promote safe storage practices among adults and prevent adolescent firearm violence. This research is particularly significant given that firearms are currently the leading cause of death among children in the United States.
“In Michigan, we have community partners and youth who are ready to work alongside parents, students and the school communities to promote firearm safety and evaluate how these campaigns can make a difference,” Hsing-Fang Hsieh, research associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity in the School of Public Health and co-director of the Education and Training Core at the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at the University of Michigan, said in a news release.
Beginning in 2025, the researchers will employ pre- and post-campaign surveys along with school administrative data to assess changes in attitudes, norms and behaviors regarding firearm storage. The study will involve 30 high schools across diverse demographics to provide a comprehensive evaluation.
“By assessing the effectiveness of these initiatives, we hope to create a blueprint for successful implementation that can be utilized nationwide,” Hsieh added.
The initiative intends to leverage schools as trusted community hubs, fostering coordinated communication between educators, parents and students to normalize secure firearm practices.
“This research empowers youth voices and leverages schools as trusted messengers, embodying key community-engaged approaches central to public health,” added Justin Heinze, associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity and director of the National Center for School Safety at the University of Michigan. “The goal is to create effective safe storage messages that resonate deeply with parents and community members, fostering meaningful and impactful behavioral change.”
The study marks one of the first rigorous assessments of school-based campaigns on firearm storage practices. The researchers aim to understand how these community-led initiatives can influence adult behavior and ultimately reduce firearm-related incidents involving students.
This announcement comes alongside another recent grant awarded to the University of Michigan, a $1 million fund to study community perceptions of safety in Detroit.