Gun shops take suicide prevention into their own hands! [View all]
Last edited Thu May 14, 2015, 10:28 AM - Edit history (1)
I have often said that the most qualified people to prevent gun violence and to design legislation to prevent gun violence are gun owners if they only would. Here's an example of someone who did exactly that.
After a New Hampshire gun shop owner found out that in just one week three customers who bought firearms from his store committed suicide shortly after the purchase he took matters into his own hands.
Working with other shop owners and mental health professionals he launched the New Hampshire Gun Shop Project. It has been adopted by 48% of NH gun stores!
The project uses printed materials, posters and sales training to identify and council potential suicide victims before selling a firearm to them. It works. In one case, after denying a sale the shop owner received a letter from the man's lawyer thanking him for preventing his client's suicide and in another a sales person actually took a woman to counseling.
Now THIS is violence prevention done by those who have expertise in guns and gun safety!
Follow the link below to read about the program and view it's posters and printable materials.
http://www.theconnectprogram.org/firearms-safety-coalitions-role-nh-suicide-prevention
How do we go about expanding this project into other states? Where do we start?
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