DENVER -- The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announces that it has received an $85,384 grant to improve the health of Colorado's children and adolescents by preventing violence. 

Colorado is one of eight states to receive funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a two-year program that will work to support change in societal norms and environmental conditions contributing to violence.

Shannon Breitzman, director of the Injury and Suicide Prevention Programs at the Department of Public Health and Environment, said, "The funding is to be used to develop a strategic plan to address youth violence in Colorado. Our focus will be on preventing our youth from becoming involved in or being victims of violence. The funding will strengthen Colorado's efforts to prevent violence in our communities by gaining a better understanding of the situations that contribute to violence and to assist people in learning ways to prevent violence. With this knowledge, we hope to be able to stop violence from further damaging our communities." 

The program, which will be housed in the Department of Public Health and Environment's Injury and Suicide Prevention Program, is a collaborative effort between the department's Injury Section and the Child Adolescent and School Health Section.

The program is being designed to provide information on risk and protective factors for various forms of violence including youth suicide; child maltreatment; teen dating violence; sexual violence; school violence; community violence and bullying. Research findings will be used to guide the development of prevention strategies that can address these forms of violence. 

Breitzman said that violent injuries alone affect more than 877,700 young people from 10 to 24 years old each year in the U.S. 

She said, "We need to learn more about risks and what protective factors work to keep our children safe from harm. The department is excited to take the lead in coordinating violence prevention efforts in Colorado through this strategic planning process."

National public health experts selected Colorado from among numerous applicants following an objective review. Other states selected for funding include Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Virginia.

To learn more about Colorado's violence prevention efforts, call or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Injury Center Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/injury.

Source: Colorado Department of Public Health