Youth violence prevention advocates won a major victory as youth violence prevention funding through the CDC was re-funded in the congressional appropriations bill passed in DC. $15 million of the original $19 million that had been cut was written back into the final draft of the bill—a feat that some thought was impossible.

Join us in thanking Congress and the Senate for restoring prevention funding. This is a major achievement: our collective action helped shift national priorities. We have proven that support for the prevention of youth violence is a priority for communities and the organizations that serve them. We can be proud of the achievements to date: increasing the awareness of violence prevention strategies and their success nationwide; make a clear case for the role of health in preventing violence efforts, and illustrating the ever growing call for more investment in upfront efforts that save lives and lower costs.