DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Public Health will receive $98,609 to improve child and adolescent health by enhancing capacity to prevent violence. Iowa is one of eight recipients to receive funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the two-year program that will work to support change in societal norms and environmental conditions contributing to violence.

"Through this funding, Iowa will be able to focus on protecting and preventing our youth from becoming involved in violence." Janet Zwick, director for the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health and Professional Licensure said. "It will strengthen our efforts to prevent violence in our communities with financial support, training and technical assistance to better understand the situations that contribute to and help people avoid violence. With this knowledge, we can stop violence from breaking down our communities."

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

"Violent injuries alone affect more than 877,700 young people from 10 to 24 years old each year. We can't keep seeing our children die or suffer terrible injuries from these senseless acts of violence," said Ileana Arias, PhD, acting CDC Injury Center director. "That is why these grants are important -- we need to learn more about risks and what protective factors work to keep our children safe from harm."

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

To learn more about Iowa's violence prevention efforts visit www.idph.state.ia.us or the CDC's Injury Center web site at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/.