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UM, AND IF YOU SEE ME SMILING, IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF HOW EXCITED I AM THAT WE HAVE THIS NEW RESOURCE AND TOOL I DO NOT WANNA TAKE AWAY FROM HOW SERIOUS THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE IS.
I JUST ALSO WANNA SHARE HOW BIG OF A DEAL TODAY IS.
UH, THIS IS A GROUNDBREAKING DAY FOR HOUSTON, AND I SHOULD START OFF BY SAYING, WELCOME TO EVERYONE.
I AM ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, THIS IS NOT ONLY A BIG DAY FOR HOUSTON, BUT FOR OUR COUNTRY AND FOR COUNTLESS PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WE ARE NOW POSITIONED TO SAVE.
UH, DESPITE FIREARMS BEING THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS IN OUR NATION.
FOR DECADES, WE'VE BEEN COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE AND GUN INJURIES WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND OUR BACKS.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY BEEN SEEING PART OF THE PICTURE BEFORE TODAY.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO KNOW HOW MANY FIREARM INJURIES ARE ACTUALLY OCCURRING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE FOR MOST PEOPLE, THAT THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION DID NOT EXIST.
SADLY, THIS IS A PROBLEM THROUGH THE COUNTRY.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO CRIME STATISTICS FROM HPD, BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN IS THAT WE'RE HOME TO THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
WE HAVE HAD THE BEST MEDICAL TEAMS TREATING THESE TYPES OF INJURIES, SEEING TRAGEDY EVERY DAY, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WITNESSING THIS IN A SILO WHERE NONE OF THAT INFORMATION IS SHARED OR ANALYZED COMPREHENSIVELY.
WE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THIS HEALTH EPIDEMIC BLINDLY.
THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING, I AM HONORED TO PRESENT SAFE WATCH HOUSTON, THE NATION'S FIRST FIREARM INJURY DASHBOARD THAT INTEGRATES LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER DATA WITH POLICE EMS AND MEDICAL EXAMINER RECORDS.
WE ARE THE FIRST CITY TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER LIKE THIS, TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE OF FIREARM INJURIES.
THIS WAS ONLY MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF AN UNPRECEDENTED COLLABORATION WITH SOME EXTRAORDINARY PARTNERS.
STANDING WITH ME TODAY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WE HAVE DIRECTOR TRON CARUCCI WITH THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DR.
SANDY MCKAY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND DIVISION CHIEF OF COMMUNITY AND GENERAL PEDIATRICS AT MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL, UT HEALTH HOUSTON, DR.
ALEX TESTA, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT, POLICY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AT UT HEALTH SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
STEVEN MORA, TRAUMA SERVICES DIRECTOR, BEN TOB HOSPITAL WITH HARRIS HEALTH.
MICHELLE MCNUTT, VICE PRESIDENT AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR TRAUMA SERVICE LINE AT MEMORIAL HERMAN, TMC.
ERIN HENKEL, ASSOCIATE TRAUMA MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ALL OF THEM.
AND THEN WE WILL FOLLOW WITH THE SPANISH TRANSLATION.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANNA ESPECIALLY THANK THE TEAM AT OUR HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE FORMER DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS, DR. HOPKINS, OF COURSE, DIRECTOR TRAN CARUCCI, WHO YOU'LL HEAR FROM SHORTLY.
AND MAN, SHE HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THOUGH, ALL OF THE STAFF OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT HAS BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND IN PARTICULAR, TWO SHEROES, KAMEL, SETH AND KAIA DODA, IF Y'ALL CAN PLEASE STAND.
THEY ALONG WITH OTHERS, BUILT THIS DASHBOARD FROM THE GROUND UP.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE MY STAFF, OUR DISTRICT C STAFF, ANNA CRUZ, KATE, JACOB COLE, BUT ESPECIALLY ANNA SMITH, WHO HAS BEEN MY PARTNER IN THIS, UH, TO SEE THIS DAY THROUGH.
ANNA, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
AND OF COURSE, UH, THE TEAM AT ETCHED.
AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS HERE THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF OUR WORK.
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AND I HOPE THAT EACH ONE OF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THIS TOOL TO SAVE LIVES THROUGH PREVENTION IN THE AREAS THAT YOU REPRESENT AND BEYOND.WITH US, WE HAVE MY COLLEAGUE, UH, WHO'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE SUPPORTER, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ROSENTHAL.
WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEAN TIER'S OFFICE, WHO HAS BEEN A LEADER IN ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICES AS WELL.
I ALSO SEE STAFF, UM, FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA START NAMING EACH ONE OF YOU 'CAUSE I'M GONNA MISS SOMEONE, BUT I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT CAN PLAY A ROLE IN ADDRESSING WHAT WE KNOW IS A HEALTHCARE CRISIS.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE.
WE HAVE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, EVERY TOWN FOR GUN SAFETY, BE SMART, WHO IS PARTNERED WITH US IN GUNLOCK AND GUN SAFE DISTRIBUTIONS, AS WELL AS MOMS DEMAND ACTION AND HOUSTON GUN SAFETY CAMPAIGN.
SO THANK YOU ALL AS WELL FOR THE STAND THAT YOU TAKE EVERY SINGLE DAY TO SAVE LIVES.
JUST TO PAINT THE PICTURE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
WHEN A 4-YEAR-OLD FINDS AN UNSECURED GUN AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE AND PULLS THE TRIGGER, IF THAT CHILD ISN'T KILLED, THEY'RE RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDED WITH LIFESAVING CARE, THAT CHILD WILL EVENTUALLY GO HOME EXPERIENCING LONG-TERM INDESCRIBABLE TRAUMA AND THEIR FAMILY, ALONG WITH EMPLOYERS AND TAXPAYERS INCUR ASTRONOMICAL MEDICAL EXPENSES.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, AS A CITY, WE MAY ACTUALLY NEVER KNOW THAT THE INJURY ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
THIS DASHBOARD, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, HAS SHOWN US THAT THERE'S ABOUT A 70% GAP BETWEEN HOSPITAL VISITS AND WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF POLICE REPORTS REVEALING HUNDREDS OF INJURIES A YEAR.
PEOPLE WHO WE COULDN'T HELP BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
FIREARM INJURIES, AS I HAVE SAID, ARE AN INVISIBLE EPIDEMIC, AND THIS DASHBOARD HAS ALSO SHOWN US HOW SERIOUS THIS HEALTH CRISIS IS.
FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR IN 2024, HOUSTON'S THREE LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTERS TREATED 991 FIREARM INJURIES OF THOSE, SO NEARLY 1,002, OVER 200 WERE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS.
HALF OF THOSE WERE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS UNDER 24.
THAT IS ONE CHILD EVERY WEEK IN HOUSTON THAT IS UNINTENTIONALLY SHOT AND RUSHED TO A TRAUMA CENTER BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDN'T SAFELY LOCK UP THEIR GUN.
THAT IS ONE FAMILY EVERY WEEK WHO PUT THEIR CHILD TO BED THE NIGHT BEFORE, NEVER IMAGINING IT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM.
WE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO ACCEPT THIS AS NORMAL FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WE CAN SEE HOW MANY FIREARM INJURIES THERE ARE.
WE CAN SEPARATE OUT UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS FROM ASSAULTS, FROM SUICIDES.
WE CAN BREAK THINGS DOWN BY AGE AND OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
WE CAN IDENTIFY ZIP CODES WITH HIGHER INJURY RATES.
WE CAN TRACK WHETHER INJURIES ARE RISING AND FALLING AND MUCH MORE.
AND I WILL NOTE THAT ALL DATA HAS BEEN SCRUBBED AND IS HIPAA COMPLIANT FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES, WE ARE JUST LOOKING AT NUMBERS AND DEMOGRAPHICS, NOT SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION.
BUT WITH THIS DASHBOARD, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CAN DEPLOY HEALTH-BASED INTERVENTIONS WHERE HOUSTONIANS ARE MOST AT RISK.
AND JUST LIKE WE USE DATA TO POSITION IN HOUSTON, MOBILE STRIKE UNITS IN LOCATIONS WHERE WE'RE SEEING HIGHER RATES, JUST LIKE WE MONITOR DIABETES IN OTHER CONTEXTS, UTILIZING DATA TO CREATE HEALTH-BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES CAN REDUCE UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES 30 TO 50%, JUST AS AS A COUNTRY.
WE'VE USED CAR SEAT EDUCATION TO REDUCE CHILD DEATHS WHEN CAR CRASHES WERE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT NOW FIREARMS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS IN OUR COUNTRY, AND WE NEED THE DATA TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, I WAS ON A PANEL AT RICE WITH DR. MCKAY AND OTHERS TALKING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE SOLUTIONS.
I HEARD FROM TRAUMA SURGEONS, THEY'RE TREATING THESE
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INJURIES EVERY SINGLE WEEK.THEY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT THE DATA DOESN'T EXIST FOR ANYONE TO ACT ON IT.
AS A MOM, I WAS SICK AND TIRED OF READING HEADLINES ABOUT ANOTHER CHILD SHOT, A HEADLINE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
AND AS THE FORMER CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND SALLY, YOU KNOW THIS, WE POUR OVER HPD STATISTICS AND DATA, BUT WE WERE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.
SO I'VE SAID, ENOUGH, WE'RE GOING TO FIX THIS.
AND WE SET OUT TO DO WHAT NOBODY HAS DONE BEFORE.
I SECURED $240,000 FOR OUR HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BOTH FORMER MAYOR TURNER AND MAYOR WHITTIER'S ADMINISTRATION TO BUILD THIS DASHBOARD AND ENSURE THE DATA REMAINS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
AND MY OFFICE HAS SO FAR CONTRIBUTED AN ADDITIONAL 60,000 TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK KEEPS GOING AND THAT OUR STAFF AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REMAINS SUPPORTED.
WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER OUR LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTERS WITHIN THE CITY WITH US.
WE HAVE MEMORIAL HERMAN, BEN TOB, AND TEXAS CHILDREN'S TO DO SOMETHING UNPRECEDENTED, SHARE FIREARM INJURY INFORMATION WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE PUBLIC.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE DATA IS BOTH ALARMING, BUT IT'S ALSO ACTIONABLE.
WHILE OVERALL GUN RELATED TRAUMA CENTER VISITS HAVE DECLINED SINCE 2021, UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS OF CHILDREN ARE QUIETLY INCREASING.
AND AGAIN, TRADITIONAL CRIME DATA WASN'T SHOWING US THIS FROM JANUARY TO JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
SO IN 2025 ALONE, WE'VE HAD 56 TRAUMA CENTER VISITS INVOLVING CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS UNDER 24.
AGAIN, THAT'S MORE THAN ONE CHILD PER WEEK.
AND WE ARE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE, THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO ACT.
WE'RE DISTRIBUTING FREE GUN LOCKS AND SAFES TO FAMILIES ACROSS HOUSTON.
NO QUESTIONS, NO JUDGMENT, JUST SAFE STORAGE.
I'VE ALREADY INVESTED OVER 75,000 THROUGH OUR DISTRICT C LOCK IT UP SAFE INITIATIVE.
AND WE ARE EXPANDING CITYWIDE.
WE'RE EXAMINING WAYS TO WORK WITH PEDIATRICIANS FOR SAFETY EDUCATION AND SCREENINGS.
JUST AS YOUR PEDIATRICIAN ASKS ABOUT CAR SEATS AND POOL SAFETY.
AND WE'RE HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE WITH COALITION MEETINGS AND QUARTERLY PUBLIC UPDATES ON SAFE WATCH HOUSTON.
SO THIS IS DATA THAT WILL BE UPDATED QUARTERLY.
THIS IS ABOUT PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY ACTION.
ANYONE CAN NOW ACCESS THIS DATA.
YOU CAN VISIT HOUSTON HEALTH.ORG/SLASH SAFE WATCH.
YOU CAN SEE INJURIES BY ZIP CODE, BY AGE, BY HOURS AND DAYS OF THE WEEK.
THIS IS A TOOL FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO FIREARM SAFETY.
I'D LIKE TO BRING UP SOMEONE WHO PERSONALLY KNOWS THE PAIN OF LOSING THEIR CHILD FROM AN UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTING.
MARTA SERGEANT HAS STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH US IN ADDRESSING FIREARM SAFETY.
HER COURAGE IN SHARING HER STORY TODAY HONORS HER FAMILY'S MEMORIES AND GIVES DEEPER MEANING TO THIS WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY KAMAN, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, I, UH, MY NAME IS MARTA AND MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER ADRIAN, WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM US ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2017 BY MY BEST FRIEND'S SON IN THEIR HOME.
THE REASON WHY THIS PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME IS BECAUSE WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH SAFE GUN STORAGE, AND THIS HELPS US GET MORE OF THE REAL STATISTICS WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
THE, WITH THE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS, UM, WE GIVE AWAY GUN SAFES.
AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS WERE HAPPENING AND, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THAT.
SO I DO WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR DOING THIS WORK BECAUSE, UM, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE.
UM, MY FAMILY NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BE GOING THROUGH THIS, BUT WE ARE.
UM, YOU HAVE TO LOCK UP YOUR FIREARMS, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO TEACH YOUR COMMUNITY TO DO THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
AND, AND I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS AND I APPRECIATE THIS PROGRAM SO MUCH, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BULLETS ARE, THEY'RE POWERFUL AND NO ONE'S IMMUNE TO THEM,
[00:15:01]
AND THEY DON'T DISCRIMINATE.SO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABIES, LOCK UP YOUR GUNS.
AND AGAIN, MARITA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRENGTH.
NEXT, I'M PROUD TO INTRODUCE HOUSTON'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR THERESA TRAN CARUCCI, A DOCTOR HERSELF.
SHE HAS PERSONALLY WORKED WITH MANY OF THE DOCTORS THAT HAVE COLLABORATED WITH US ON THIS DASHBOARD.
I, AGAIN, WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WORK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF ALL OF THE STAFF AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THIS DASHBOARD TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK DR.
NIKE MET RIA WHO SERVES ON THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE AND WAS AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF THIS WORK AS WELL.
DIRECTOR TRAN, AS SHE COMES UP, WILL BE GIVING US A BRIEF DEMONSTRATION OF THE DASHBOARD AND HOW IT WORKS.
UM, NOT ONLY FOR, UH, FOR HAVING US HERE AND FOR ALLOWING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO BE PART OF SUCH IMPORTANT WORK, BUT FOR SECURING THE FUNDING AND FOR BEING RELENTLESS ABOUT THIS WORK.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS WITH OUR STAFF SINCE 2023.
YOU'VE NAMED, UM, KAVI AND KOMAL AND, UM, DR. LAUREN HOPKINS AND THE REST OF OUR DATA SCIENCE TEAM.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MARK SEAL, AND FELICIA AND ALI FROM OUR IT TEAM.
MANY, MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE, UM, USED TIME AWAY FROM THEIR OWN WORK TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE IT MEANS SO MUCH.
SO, UM, THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, HAS BEEN DOING DASHBOARDS FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S PART OF OUR ETHOS IN MAKING SURE THAT WE USE EVIDENCE BASIS AND THAT OUR WORK IS COMMUNITY INFORMED AND EVIDENCE-BASED.
AND, UM, I'M JUST GONNA, AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AS AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN MYSELF, WHO HAS WORKED AT, UH, BEN TAUB, MEMORIAL HERMANN AND TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, THIS, AND NOW BEING HERE AT THE CITY, THIS TYPE OF WORK BETWEEN ACADEMIA, THE ACTUAL PRACTICE PARTNERS, THE CITY, BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT GOVERNMENT SOMETIMES AS A BARRIER TO THINGS HAPPENING AND, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY IS SO MEANINGFUL AND ALMOST A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME.
SO, UH, THE DASHBOARDS THAT WE'VE CREATED AT THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPAN ANYWHERE FROM CHRONIC DISEASE TO WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE, HIV TUBERCULOSIS.
UM, SO SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, UM, HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES.
WE DO DASHBOARDS ALL THE TIME, AND WE ARE OUT THERE.
SO PLEASE, UH, VISIT HOUSTON HEALTH.ORG AND VISIT ALL OF OUR OTHER DASHBOARDS AS WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK OUT THERE.
BUT MOVING ON TO, UM, THE SAFE WATCH DASHBOARD, UH, I'D LIKE TO, SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS OUR SUMMARY SLIDE.
BUT WHEN A, SO WHEN THE USER FIRST PULLS UP THE DASHBOARD AS IT IS HERE, YOU'LL SEE AN OVERALL SUMMARY WITH UMBRELLA STATISTICS NEXT TO FIVE PAGES OF DIFFERENT DATA SOURCES.
UM, SO YOU SEE ON THERE, YOU'VE GOT, UH, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, TRAUMA CENTER, UM, EMS 9 1 1, POLICE REPORTED INJURIES AND DEATHS.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE ALL OF THESE SOURCES OF INFORMATION BECAUSE AS COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND MENTIONED, ONE SOURCE OF DATA REALLY ISN'T ALWAYS THE BEST.
AND WE KNOW THAT DATA IS NOT PERFECT, AND DATA IS, UM, EVER CHANGING.
AND THE, UM, WHAT WE CONSIDER, UH, ACTIONABLE DATA CHANGES DEPEND DEPENDING ON WHAT DATA WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
SO THIS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO COLLATE AS MUCH DATA AS POSSIBLE SO THAT RESEARCHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, CAN ACTUALLY MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS OR DECISIONS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT DATA THEY HAVE AND WHAT INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE MISSING, HOPEFULLY IN AN EASY WAY.
SO, LOOKING AT THE, UM, TRAUMA, LET'S GO TO THE TRAUMA CENTER DATA.
IT INCLUDES OUTCOME, INTENT, SPECIFIC INJURY, LOCATION, FOR EXAMPLE, AT A GAS STATION OR A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, AND OTHER RISK FACTORS.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE ALL THAT ON THERE.
UH, JUST TO KEEP IN MIND THAT, UM, WE ARE, WE HIGHLY, HIGHLY VALUE, AND IT IS A CORE OF, UM, OF WHAT WE DO, THAT WE PROTECT PATIENT PRIVACY.
SO OUR TEAM HAS BUILT IN THAT IF THERE ARE LESS THAN FIVE INSTANCES OF A CERTAIN TYPE OF INJURY OR A CERTAIN TYPE OF LOCATION, OR IF SOMEONE CAN POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY A VICTIM, UM, WITHIN LESS THAN FIVE INSTANCES, THEN THAT DATA WILL BE SUPPRESSED.
UM, AND IT WILL NOT BE SEARCHABLE.
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SO, UH, YOU CAN GO DOWN TO, FOR EXAMPLE, SEE THE DAY AND TIME OF WEEK THAT THINGS HAPPEN.UM, AND WHERE SO SIMILAR SEARCHES CAN BE DONE ON THE OTHER TABS AS WELL.
EACH SOURCE ALLOWS THE USER TO FILTER BY VARIABLE, UM, ALLOWING CUSTOMIZATION OF ANSWERING THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY ASKING, SUCH AS THE YEAR, SEX AGE GROUP, RACE, RACE AND ETHNICITY, AND GEOSPATIAL DATA.
SOME PAGES HAVE MORE SPECIFIC FILTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, EMS AND 9 1 1, UM, CALLS DISPLAY ALCOHOL AND DRUG USAGE AS WELL.
THE POLICE NON-FATAL INJURIES HAVE A SEVERITY FACTOR, UM, OF MAJOR OR MINOR INJURIES.
NOW, LET'S TRY A SEARCH TOGETHER.
LET'S SAY WE WANTED TO WORK ON INTERVENTIONS TO COMBAT ACCIDENTAL GUNSHOT WOUNDS, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE TO START.
UM, SO FIRST YOU WOULD SELECT YOUR DATA SOURCE.
SO LET'S GO TO TRAUMA CENTER VISITS.
WE'LL SHOW YOU ALL YEARS SINCE 2019 BECAUSE THAT'S HOW FAR, UH, WE HAVE DATED.
THAT GOES BACK FROM, UM, SO HERE WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 7,156 VISITS FOR FIREARM INJURIES.
UH, WE CAN GO UNDER THE TAB THAT SAYS INTENT AND SELECT UNINTENTIONAL.
THIS PULLS UP 1,700, OR EXCUSE ME, 1073, UM, INJURIES.
AND SO THAT'S 14.9% OF ALL TOTAL VISITS SINCE 2019.
BUT LET'S GET MORE SPECIFIC UNDER THIS, WE HEARD FROM MARTA.
AND SO UNDER AGE, WE CAN HIT CONTROL TO SELECT ALL AGES FROM ZERO TO 24 TO INCLUDE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS.
AND THIS SHOWS 521 OF THOSE UNINTENTIONAL INJURY VICTIMS WERE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AS A REACH SEARCHER.
WE LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, THIS IS 48.5% OF ALL UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS.
AS WE DO THAT, WE CAN ALSO GO FURTHER AND SEE A MAP OF ZIP CODES TO THE RIGHT ON THE SCREEN AND IT NARROWS DOWN TOO.
AND WE CAN IDENTIFY ZIP CODES OF RESIDENTS WHERE WE CAN POSSIBLY IMPLEMENT MORE CURRICULUM FOR PEDIATRIC SCREENINGS, UM, LIKE AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, HOST GUNLOCK DISTRIBUTIONS AND SO MUCH MORE.
SO THE COMMUNITY REALLY HAS THE DATA IN ITS HANDS, AND THE RESEARCHERS, UM, HAVE THE DATA THAT THEY NEED TO TURN RESEARCH INTO IMPLEMENTATION.
SO GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT JUST THE SUMMARY PAGE ALONE, UM, LOOKING AT THE NUMBER, YOU WILL SEE DISPARITIES ON THAT PAGE.
AND I WANNA POINT OUT, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, UM, THE RED BOX IS, UM, FIREARM RELATED INJURIES THAT WERE REPORTED BY HPD, BUT THAT NUMBER VARIES FROM THE FIREARM RELATED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, WHICH IS UP ON TOP IN THE GREEN AND LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER VISITS, WHICH IS IN THE BLUE.
SO DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF DATA YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THERE IS A LITTLE DISCLAIMER HERE THAT, UM, NOT EVERY VISIT IS A POTENTIALLY UNIQUE PATIENT THAT IT COULD BE MULTIPLE VISITS FOR THE SAME PATIENT, BUT IT DOES POINT US TO, UM, A TRUTH IN DATA IN GENERAL IN THAT ONE SOURCE OF DATA IS USUALLY AND RARELY EVER ENOUGH.
SO IN REPORTING, UM, TRUTHFULLY WHAT THE SCIENCE AND WHAT THE EVIDENCE ACTUALLY SHOWS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE VERY MANY SOURCES OF DATA THAT WE NEED TO PUT TOGETHER AND ANALYZE CRITICALLY.
UM, AND THIS DASHBOARD MAKES IT EASIER FOR NOT ONLY OUR RESEARCHER COLLEAGUES, OUR IMPLEMENTATION COLLEAGUES, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, IN AN EASY WAY.
SO THAT IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE DASHBOARD.
WE HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT USEFUL.
UM, WE, UH, SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ALSO CAME OUT OF THIS IS THE COLLABORATION ITSELF.
AND AS WITH ALL THINGS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES, WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO MAINTAINING THIS CONVERSATION WITH OUR ACADEMIC AND PRACTICE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A BEGINNING, UM, NOT, AND THE, NOT THE ONLY VERSION OF THIS DASHBOARD THAT WILL EVER COME OUT.
I EXPECT THIS TO BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS AS THE COMMUNITY, AS OUR RESEARCH PARTNERS, UM, AND AS WE COME UP WITH BETTER WAYS TO SHOW THE DATA AND TO, UM, TO MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY, OUR TEAM IS DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE COMMITTED AND MAINTAIN, UM, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DASHBOARDS IN MY CAREER AND I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THIS ONE.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND, UM, CONGRATULATIONS
[00:25:01]
TO OUR TEAM AND TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND TO, UH, TO REALLY THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.UM, AND AS THE DIRECTOR WAS INDICATING, BASED ON ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE COMPILED TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE, NO OTHER CITY HAS CONNECTED THE DOTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WHAT YOU'LL START TO SEE, IF YOU LOOK AT NATIONAL NUMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE, UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS, WHAT BASED ON CDC DATA, RIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT NOW OUR UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS COMPARED TO NATIONAL NUMBERS, IT WILL EVEN LOOK LIKE HOUSTON MAKES UP SOMETHING LIKE 14% OF ALL UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT THE CASE.
WHAT THAT SHOWS US IS WE ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO GET ACCURATE NUMBERS, AND WE'VE CREATED A MODEL THAT WE HOPE OTHER CITIES CAN USE AS A BLUEPRINT.
WE ARE LEADING THE WAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHO HOUSTON IS.
WE STARTED THIS, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULDN'T STOP HERE.
AND IF WE CAN DO THIS AND OTHER CITIES FOLLOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAVING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN'S LIVES NATIONWIDE AND BILLIONS FOR OUR ECONOMY.
AND WITHOUT THE DEDICATION OF OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY, THIS DASHBOARD WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FILL THE GAP THAT TRADITIONAL CRIME AND REPORTING AND DATA COLLECTION HAVE MISSED.
DR. SANDRA MCKAY AND I FIRST CONNECTED YEARS AGO, AND HER COM COMPASSION AND COMMITMENT TO THIS ISSUE IS INSPIRING.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, SHE'S A PROFESSOR AND DIVISION CHIEF OF PEDIATRICS AT UT HEALTH MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND A FELLOW AT RICE'S BAKER INSTITUTE.
DR. MCKAY WORKS WITH PEDIATRIC DOCTORS ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHO ARE A KEY PARTNER, PARTNER IN MEANINGFUL INTERVENTION, DR. MCKAY.
SO THIS HAS REALLY BEEN AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THIS, AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR REALLY BEING SUCH A PASSIONATE DRIVER BEHIND ALL OF THIS.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS DASHBOARD, THE CONTINUED WORD THAT CON THAT BRINGS TO MY MIND IS COLLABORATION.
THIS REPRESENTS SO MUCH COLLABORATION BETWEEN MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, AND SO MANY DRIVING FORCES TO SEE THIS COME TO REALITY.
AND WHAT THIS DOES FOR THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND FOR THE CITY, IS REALLY GIVES US THE EVIDENCE THAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE FIREARM INJURIES IN OUR AREA AND IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTIONABLE STEPS IN ORDER TO SAVE LIVES.
AND THESE ACTIONABLE STEPS CAN BE GUIDED BY THE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED TO, SO THAT WAY WE CAN WORK WITH THE COMMUNITIES AND DO THOSE, UH, INTERVENTIONS THAT MATTER.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN FIND THOSE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE CAN SEE THOSE UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES THAT ARE HIGHER AND SAY, LET'S WORK WITH YOU AND LET'S SEE WHAT REALLY IS GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AS A PEDIATRICIAN, THIS IS IMPERATIVE BECAUSE WE CAN SAVE CHILDREN'S LIVES AND WE CAN WORK WITH OTHER PEDIATRICIANS TO SAY, DID YOU KNOW WHAT THE DATA LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR AREA? DID YOU REALIZE WHAT WAS GOING ON? AND THIS DASHBOARD NOW ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT THE REAL PICTURE LOOKS LIKE, THE WHOLE PICTURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S TRANSFORMATIVE ABOUT THIS.
AND WHAT'S VERY EXCITING TO ME IS TO SAY THAT WE DID THIS IN THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER MM-HMM
SO WHEN MY COLLEAGUES OVER AT HOPKINS AND SOME OF THE OTHER STATES THAT SAY, YOU DID THIS IN TEXAS, I CAN SAY YES.
AND IF WE COULD DO THIS IN TEXAS, WE CAN DO THIS ANYWHERE.
AND THIS IS TRULY A MODEL FOR THE WORLD.
AND THIS IS VERY EXCITING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A MODEL THAT IS REALLY COMMUNITY DRIVEN AND THAT WE CAN DO THIS TO DO IMPLEMENTATION WITH, WITH COMMUNITIES.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S CRITICAL HERE.
BOTH DR. MCKAY AND WHO'LL BE SPEAKING.
ALEX TESTA HAVE BEEN BRINGING DOCTORS AND EXPERTS TO THE TABLE WITH US TO ENSURE THAT THIS TOOL, THIS DASHBOARD, GIVES OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY WHAT THEY TO DO THEIR JOBS.
BECAUSE I, I SAY THIS A LOT, BUT I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, WE MUST TRUST OUR DOCTORS AND WE MUST TRUST OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
TESTA IS A PROFESSOR AT UT HEALTH SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, WORKING TOGETHER WITH DR. MCKAY ON THE FIREARM VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION EFFORTS.
UH, HE'S AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD AND SHARES A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THIS DATA PROVIDES FOR RESEARCHERS, NOT ONLY IN HOUSTON, BUT NATIONALLY.
[00:30:02]
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR CAYMAN.UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR, UH, UH, COMING OUT TODAY FOR THIS EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO, AS MENTIONED, I WORK AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
OUR CHARGE IS SIMPLE, YET COMPLEX.
IT'S TO UNDERSTAND THE MYRIAD OF FACTORS AND THINGS THAT ARE HARMING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AND TO UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW WE CAN RESPOND TO THEM AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF ALL OF HOUSTON, OF OUR COUNTY, OF OUR STATE.
UM, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, UH, THE TEAM OF RESEARCHERS WHO WORK IN THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, WE TAKE THE TAKE A SCIENTIFIC METHOD APPROACH.
WE TRY TO SET ASIDE OUR BIASES AND OUR PRECONCEIVED NOTION ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND TRY TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DATA ARE TELLING US ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
THROUGH THAT METHOD, WE'VE MADE GREAT ADVANCES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF, UH, THE CITY, OF THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY OVER THE YEARS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO FIREARMS, THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THE DATA HAVE BEEN LACKING.
IT'S SHOCKING THAT IF YOU GO TO ANY CITY ACROSS THE US AND YOU ASK THEM FOR INFORMATION ON THE DATA OF THE NUMBER ONE LEADING CAUSE OF CHILDREN AGES ONE TO 17 IN THE UNITED STATES FIREARMS, THE DATA ARE NOT THERE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT HAS BEEN HARD TO DRIVE THOSE NUMBERS DOWN.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS DASHBOARD REALLY CHANGES THINGS.
AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, IT SETS AN EXAMPLE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO COLLATE ROBUST DATA ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS AND TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE PROBLEM.
AND THAT IS GONNA ENABLE RESEARCHERS TO DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS, TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS AND POLICIES, AND WORK WITH THE, UH, CITY, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THE STATE, AND TO TACKLE THAT PROBLEM AND START TO DRIVE THOSE NUMBERS DOWN.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO NOTE THAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE RESEARCH ONLY GOES SO FAR.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT RESEARCH AND WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE ISSUE.
AND THROUGH THIS DASHBOARD, IT ALSO DEMOCRATIZES THE INFORMATION, IT PUTS IT FORWARD SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SIMPLY LOG ON AND CAN SEE IT, BUT CAN ALSO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT WE WILL MAKE OVER TIME AS WE START IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS AND POLICIES AND DRIVE THIS ISSUE DOWN.
SO THIS IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT, UH, FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
AND THIS IS ALSO JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG, RIGHT? THIS IS THE UNVEILING OF THE DASHBOARD, BUT MUCH MORE IS TO COME MUCH, UH, RESEARCH POLICY AND PROGRAMS, UH, THAT CAN STEM FROM THIS.
AND AGAIN, AS I CONTINUE TO MENTION WHAT SETS THIS DASHBOARD APART IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE INTEGRATED DATA FROM EACH OF OUR THREE LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTERS WITHIN TMC, BEN TOB, MEMORIAL HERMANN, AND TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
THIS DASHBOARD, AGAIN, ALSO ENABLES OUR TRAUMA CENTERS TO COLLABORATE ACROSS HEALTH SYSTEMS TO IDENTIFY MEANINGFUL INTERVENTIONS, WHICH IS WHAT DR.
TESTA WAS DISCUSSING, AND WHAT ALL OF THE, THOSE UP HERE AND ALSO THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING.
UH, WE'RE NOW GONNA HEAR FROM EXPERTS FROM EACH OF THESE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, I'LL INTRODUCE THEM ONE AT A TIME, BUT TO THE ENTIRE, UH, GROUP, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO COLLABORATIVE IN THIS COMMITMENT TO ENDING GUN VIOLENCE.
FIRST, UH, FOR BEN TOB HARRIS HEALTH, WE'LL HEAR FROM STEVEN MORA TRAUMA SERVICES DIRECTOR.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
ON BEHALF OF HARRIS HEALTH, HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND BEN TOP HOSPITAL HERE IN THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN AND HER TEAM FOR REACHING OUT TO US.
UH, TO TAKE PART IN THIS FIRST OF ITS KIND GUN VIOLENCE DASHBOARD, AGAIN, THAT INCORPORATES A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HOSPITALS, POLICE, EMS, AND THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
I HAVE WORKED ON SEVERAL DASHBOARDS OVER THE LENGTH OF MY CAREER, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS DASHBOARD AND THE POWER THAT, UM, THIS DASHBOARD HAS.
SO AGAIN, IT IS, UH, UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAD THE FORESIGHT TO KNOW THAT BY BRINGING US ALL TOGETHER, WE REALLY COULD SHINE A LIGHT ON THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY.
FOR THOSE OF US THAT WORK AS FIRST RESPONDERS AND AS PART OF THE MEDICAL RESPONSE TEAM, WE SEE GUN VIOLENCE EVERY DAY.
HOWEVER, THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MAY NOT TRULY UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPACT OF THESE TYPES OF INJURIES.
TOGETHER, WE'RE TURNING DATA INTO A SHARED CALL FOR ACTION SO THAT WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM FIRST AND THEN HELP TO CREATE MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
[00:35:03]
UH, NEXT, UH, FOR MEMORIAL HERMAN, DR.MICHELLE MCNUTT, WHO'S THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THEIR TRAUMA SERVICE LINE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, AS A TRAUMA SURGEON WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND, I SEE THE IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE WITH EVERY SHIFT I TAKE, EVERY PATIENT, I TREAT EVERY FAMILY THAT'S IMPACTED.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT FINALLY COME TO FRUITION.
UH, MEMORIAL HERMANN IS DEEPLY INVESTED IN OUR MISSION TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
WE SEE GUN VIOLENCE AS A REAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, AND I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN THAT IT WILL TAKE A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH, UH, WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER TO REALLY DRIVE CHANGE IN GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION BY COMBINING OUR RESOURCES AND DATA.
THIS GROUP OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND TRAUMA CENTERS REALLY HAS THE ABILITY TO INFORM CITY LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH THE DATA NEEDED TO DRIVE MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, UH, AND MORE TARGETED SOLUTIONS AT CURBING GUN VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY THE PREVENTABLE GUN VIOLENCE IMPACTING OUR CITY'S YOUTH.
SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
AND, UH, WE'LL ALSO HEAR, UM, FROM TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, DR.
AARON HENKEL, WHO'S THE ASSOCIATE TRAUMA MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO ADDRESS YOU ALL TODAY, AND GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON AN ISSUE THAT IS SO CLOSE TO MY HEART.
TOGETHER WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGES THAT WILL PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY, OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND MY HEALTHCARE COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE WITH ME TODAY.
YOUR PRESENCE UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN.
AS A PHYSICIAN SERVING IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S, THE NATION'S LARGEST PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL SYSTEM, I REGULARLY ENCOUNTER NUMEROUS CRITICAL SITUATIONS.
THESE EXPERIENCES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCED MY COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS DURING THEIR MOST VULNERABLE TIMES.
AS PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR YOUNG PATIENTS REMAIN OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
IT IS PROFOUNDLY DISHEARTENING TO SEE THE INCREASING NUMBER OF LIVES LOST TO UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS.
EACH STATISTIC IS NOT JUST A NUMBER, BUT A VIBRANT LIFE FULL OF POTENTIAL, A GRIEVING FAMILY, AND A MOURNING COMMUNITY.
WE MAINTAIN A STRONG COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARTNERS BY CONTINUOUSLY PROMOTING AWARENESS AND PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.
WE AIM TO FOSTER A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH EVERY CHILD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND SUCCEED.
I'M THE FIRST ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY AT THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR, FOR INVITING US HERE TO BE A PART OF THIS.
WE IN PROSECUTION AND IN LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOW TO BE TRUE EXACTLY WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN KNOWS TO BE TRUE, THAT GUN VIOLENCE IS NOT JUST A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, NOT JUST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR STATE, BUT THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THERE TO BE AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING OF A CHILD THAN IN CANADA.
OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT FOUR TIMES LESS RESPONSIBLE IN CANADIAN CHILDREN.
OUR CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE CURIOUS.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO PLAY, HIDE AND SEEK IN A CLOSET.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO OPEN UP A CABINET AND SEE WHAT'S INSIDE.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY GUN OWNER IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS COUNTY AND IN THIS COUNTRY TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR GUN.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT MAKING A FIREARM ACCESSIBLE TO A MINOR.
IT'S A, IT'S A CRIME IN THIS STATE.
IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY CRIMES IN OUR LAW THAT HAS A THREE DAY WAITING PERIOD BEFORE AN ARREST CAN BE MADE.
BECAUSE THE LAW PRESUMES THAT YOU KNEW THE CHILD.
THE LAW PRESUMES THAT IT WAS A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND, AND IT BUILDS IN TIME TO GRIEVE.
NOW, OUR LEGISLATURE GAVE THAT GRIEVING PERIOD, BUT IT IS COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND HER TEAM WHO ARE GIVING US THE TOOLS TO ACTUALLY COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS STATE.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY THAT HAS THE SUPPORT OF YOU AND OF YOUR STAFF, AND ARE ACTUALLY GIVING US TOOLS TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE.
BY THE TIME I GET A CALL AS A PROSECUTOR, THE BULLET HAS ALREADY LEFT THE GUN.
AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IT IS THROUGH THE WORK THAT YOU AND THIS TEAM AND YOUR TEAM HERE ARE DOING, THAT WE CAN MAYBE JUST MAYBE WORK OUR WAY OUT OF A JOB.
BECAUSE ANY CHILD WHO GETS ACCESS TO A FIREARM
[00:40:01]
IS ONE CHILD TOO MANY.AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY SINGLE GUN OWNER IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS STATE TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
IT'S NOT THE CHILD'S JOB, IT'S YOURS.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE RAISING MY CHILDREN IN THE CITY WHERE I KNOW THAT MY LOCAL OFFICIALS AND LEADERS ARE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM HEAD ON.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, UH, BEFORE WE TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, AND I'LL CLOSE IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT I DID, UM, WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING OUTLETS AND VIEWERS, UM, TO GET A SUMMARY OF THE REMARKS THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN TODAY.
SO FOR THAT, UM, TANYA GALLEGOS, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP? HI.
I'LL BE THE SPANISH INTERPRETER TODAY.
SO SAFE WATCH HOUSTON IMPLEMENTER HEALTH, UM, SLASH SAFE WATCH.
MEMORIAL HERMAN E TEXAS CHILDREN'S ARM IN HOUSTON,
[00:45:01]
RERAN KA UT HEALTH.ALEX TESTA, RA BENTO MEMORIAL.
HERMAN TEXAS CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT.
HOUSTON DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON DEL HARRIS.
ALRIGHT, SO FINALLY, I WANNA LEAVE EVERYONE WITH THIS.
UH, IF YOU'RE A HOUSTON FAMILY WITH A FIREARM IN YOUR HOME, GET A LOCK, VISIT THE DASHBOARD, ASK QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE FREE GUN LOCKS AND GUN SAFES AVAILABLE.
AND IF YOU'RE A JOURNALIST COVERING THIS STORY, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, WE CAN'T GET THIS MESSAGE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE DATA.
WE WILL BE UPDATING IT QUARTERLY AND HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.
AND IF YOU'RE IN ANOTHER CITY WITH EYES ON HOUSTON RIGHT NOW, WE'RE READY TO HELP.
AND FINALLY, IF YOU'RE A HOUSTONIAN THAT BELIEVES THAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO GROW UP SAFE, THIS IS HOW WE DO IT.
AND NOW I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THIS IS A, UH, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, BUT ARE THERE PLANS IN THE WORK TO INDICATE WHO FIRED THE FIREARM? ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS, THERE WAS ANOTHER CHILD WHO MIGHT HAVE DONE IT OR THE CHILD MIGHT HAVE SHOT THEMSELVES.
YEAH, I'LL LET, UM, EITHER OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPEAK TO THAT OR WITH THE HOSPITALS.
IN TERMS OF DR. MCKAY, I DON'T KNOW IF ONE OF YOU WANTS TO SPEAK TO WHAT WE CAN, HOW GRANULAR WE'RE TRYING TO, OR WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S COMING FROM BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THE POLICY INFORMATION AND ACTION INFORMATION.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE, UH, WITH THE AMOUNT OF DATA THAT WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT FOR WITH EACH OF THE INSTITUTIONS, THIS IS THE DATA THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK IT'LL HAVE TO BE A CONVERSATION ON HOW WE CAN, UM, COLLECT THAT DATA.
UH, SOMETIMES DATA IS EASILY FOUND JUST FROM LIKE CLICK BOXES ON ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS.
SOMETIMES INFORMATION IS ONLY ACCURATELY DISPLAYED ON THE DOCTOR'S NOTES OR NURSE'S NOTES OR EM'S NOTES.
AND SO, WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ACCURATE WE COULD BE WITH, UM, WITH ACTUALLY REPORTING THAT DATA, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW.
BUT THANK YOU FOR, UM, BRINGING THAT, YOU KNOW, TO LIGHT.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO ASK BECAUSE, UM, WE MAY HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND UM, OR, OR WE MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
AND WE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THINGS LIKE THAT IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, I WILL SAY, BUT Y'ALL CORRECT ME IF I'M OFF ON THIS.
UM, ONE HOSPITAL MAY TRACK A, B, C, AND D, ANOTHER HOSPITAL MAY TRACK A, B, C, AND E.
OUR HPD RECORDS ONLY TRACK CERTAIN THINGS.
AND I'VE BEEN A HUGE PROPONENT OF UPGRADING OUR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO OUTDATED, RIGHT? ON THE EMS SIDE AND ON HPD SIDE.
SO AS WE ENTER A MORE MODERN AGE WITH HOW WE ARE TRACKING THINGS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, CUSTOMIZE CERTAIN CATEGORIES.
LET'S SAY ON HPD SIDE, NOW WE CAN'T DO IT ALL BECAUSE THINK ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES TO DO A POLICE REPORT AS IT IS WHEN YOU'RE SITTING THERE, RIGHT? UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOPE WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN ON EVENTUALLY, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT ONLY UPDATING QUARTERLY, BUT HAVING THESE COALITION MEETINGS AND HAVING THE DOCTORS PROVIDE INPUT OF WHAT'S HELPING, WHAT'S NOT HELPING WHAT WE NEED MORE OF, FOR EXAMPLE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE DON'T YET HAVE THAT IN OUR SYSTEM AS A, A CAUSE OR CORRELATION ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THESE SHOOTINGS.
WE HAVE ASSAULT, RIGHT? UM, BUT WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE KNOW THAT FIREARMS, UH, MAKE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION FIVE TIMES MORE LETHAL.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE TYPES OF DATA POINTS THAT WE HOPE CAN START TO BE INTEGRATED AS WE GO ALONG.
I GUESS KIND OF ALONG THESE LINES, LIKE THERE'S A MILLION DATA POINTS, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE INVOLVED.
LIKE IS THERE SOMEBODY IN CHARGE OF KIND OF MAKING SURE THIS KEEPS MOMENTUM? IS THERE FUNDING FOR IT? YEAH.
SO PART OF THE FUNDING AND THE REASON THAT I'VE ALLOCATED DISTRICT C DOLLARS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE STAFF FUNDING CAN CONTINUE, UH, FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SIDE, UH, IN TERMS OF CONTINUING THIS,
[00:50:01]
UH, WORK, RIGHT OF INTEGRATION QUARTERLY, UH, THAT WE'LL NEED BUY-IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.WE NEED THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY TO SAY, YES, KEEP GOING.
UH, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT NOT ONLY FROM ME, FROM FROM OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO FROM OUR, OUR LEADERS AT TMC.
AND THIS HOW YOU'RE ASKING HOW WE'RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, HOW WE ARE UPDATING THINGS THAT I DEFER TO THE HEALTH EXPERTS ON, AND THE COALITION THAT IS BEING BROUGHT TOGETHER BY THESE LEADERS SO THAT THEY ARE ALSO MEETING TO LOOK AT THIS AND SAY WHAT WE NEED MORE OF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WANNA ADD IT, ANYTHING TO THAT? WELL, TO SPEAK FOR DR.
TESTA AND MYSELF, WE'VE BEEN, UM, COLLABORATING WITH THE TEAM AT THE TMC IN ORDER TO HELP BRING THESE DATA SETS TOGETHER.
AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO QUARTERLY MEETINGS TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE DATA SETS AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS AS WELL AS, UM, RESEARCH PROJECTS.
BECAUSE THIS, THIS DATA CANNOT JUST SIT IN A DASHBOARD.
IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE ARE AMPLE PEOPLE WITHIN THE TMC WHO SEE THE VALUE OF CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT HOUSTON, WE ALL CARE ABOUT HOUSTON, AND WE CARE ABOUT HOW WE CAN SAVE LIVES.
AND NONE OF US WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE LIKE DR.
MCNUTT AND OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES AND SEEING THESE PATIENTS COME THROUGH OUR HOSPITALS AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THIS DATA TO SAVE LIVES.
SO WE ARE COMMITTING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND, AND I WILL ADD TO THAT, WHILE WE STEPPED UP AND SAID ENOUGH, WE'RE GETTING THIS DONE, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR, UH, FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT GOING AWAY EASILY.
UM, YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, PARENTS KIND OF BEING AWARE OF THESE NUMBERS AS A KID WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THEIR GRANDPARENT WHO HAD A GUN OUT ALL THE TIME.
KIND OF REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS, BUT JUST CAREGIVERS IN GENERAL BEING AWARE OF THIS AND PRACTICING GUN SAFETY MEASURES.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL SHARE ONE STORY.
UH, SO WE'VE BEEN DOING FREE GUN LOCK AND GUN SAFE DISTRIBUTIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HPD AND BS SMART THROUGHOUT DISTRICT C.
AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.
WE'VE HAD, UH, WE HAVE A TABLE WITH GUN LOCKS.
PARENT COMES UP WITH THEIR KID, THIS IS AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE ASK THE MOM, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE A FREE GUN LOCK? DO YOU HAVE ANY FIREARMS IN THE HOME? OH, NO, NO, NO.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY FIREARMS IN THE HOME.
AND IT'S, I WANNA BE CLEAR, IT'S OKAY IF YOU DO HAVE A FIREARM IN THE HOME.
THIS IS ABOUT RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP.
UH, BUT MOM SAYS, NO, WE DON'T HAVE A GUN IN THE HOME.
WE THEN ASK, WELL, DO ANY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE A GUN IN THE HOME? MOM SAYS, NO, NO, NONE OF OUR FAMILY DOES.
AND I KID YOU NOT, LITTLE GIRL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PULLS ON MOM'S SHIRT AND SAYS, NO, MOMMY GRANDPA HAS A GUN.
AND THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN THESE INTERACTIONS.
AND I ASSURE YOU THAT MOTHER ONE, UM, NEVER WANTED ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO HER CHILD WANTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
AND IT, THERE'S AN AWARENESS THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO HOUSTONIANS THAT THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO BE HAVING, WHETHER IT'S WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, WHETHER IT'S WHEN YOU GO AND DROP OFF YOUR CHILD AT A FRIEND'S TO GO AND PLAY.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE IN THE AWARENESS WE NEED TO HAVE IN THE EDUCATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN DE-STIGMATIZING CONVERSATIONS AROUND FIREARM INJURIES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS DID YOU SAY? UM, CAN GO ONTO THE DASHBOARD AND ASK FOR A, SO THE WAY IN WHICH RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH HOW YOU CAN REQUEST A GUN LOCK.
ANYONE CAN EMAIL MY OFFICE, UM, DISTRICT C@HOUSTONTX.GOV, UM, TO REQUEST THEM AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, SCALING UP.
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE FREE GUN LOCKS AND GUN SAFES AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT WILL BE LISTED ON THE SUMMARY PAGE OF THE DASHBOARD OF WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
UH, THAT'S REALLY A, NOT A ONE STOP SHOP BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY RESOURCES OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.
UM, YOU SAID THE DASHBOARD IS UPDATED QUARTERLY.
IF WE GO TO THE DASHBOARD TODAY, WOULD THOSE BE NUMBERS UP UNTIL OCTOBER, SEPTEMBER 30TH.
[00:55:01]
AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL, BUT REALLY THE CREDIT IS TO EVERYONE STANDING BEHIND ME.UM, OUR CITY STAFF AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS.
THIS IS PREVENTION IN HOUSTON.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WAY.