Gun Violence Prevention Partnership (GVPP)
The Gun Violence Prevention Partnership (GVPP) is a multi-sector initiative led by the Waterbury Health Department (WHD) to prevent community gun violence using a public health approach.
The GVPP’s goal is to reduce firearm-related injuries and deaths in Waterbury by building a coordinated, data-driven, evidence-based prevention system rooted in community collaboration.
The GVPP is supported by “Implementing a Public Health Approach to Address Community Gun Violence,” a grant awarded to the city by the Connecticut Department of Public Health from March 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
Why This Matters
- Waterbury has strong organizations already doing youth violence prevention work, but greater coordination is needed to strengthen impact and prevent future violence.
- From 2020–2023, Waterbury had 56 firearm homicides.
- Waterbury’s firearm homicide rate was the fourth highest in Connecticut and three times higher than the state average.
- There were 345 gunshot injuries from 2020-2025
GUN VIOLENCE DATA
GUN VIOLENCE IN CT AND OTHER STATES
GUN VIOLENCE IN WATERBURY AND OTHER TOWNS
PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES THAT WORK
A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH
WHD will bring together a learning collaborative, a group of organizations working in violence prevention, positive youth development, and youth leadership. The GVPP will examine the statistical picture of gun violence in Waterbury and propose a path forward based on research on what has worked for other cities, data from funded programs in Waterbury, and dynamics that are unique to our city.
The GVPP will use the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Firearm Injury Prevention Toolkit to guide this work. The GVPP will meet monthly throughout the grant and will enlist members to share information on the project with their communities and gather feedback from their neighborhoods. The toolkit offers a structured public health roadmap to prevent gun violence in three phases:
1. Understand the problem using local data and community input.
2. Implement effective strategies based on local needs.
3. Track progress to evaluate what works and continuously improve strategies.
Piloting Promising Strategies
GVPP supports organizations with mini-grants to implement evidence-based approaches to community gun violence prevention and contribute their outcomes data to our understanding of what works.
Examples include:
• Community Violence Interruption: Trained credible messengers mediate conflicts and prevent retaliation.
• Hospital-Based Violence Intervention (HVIP): Support victims of violence at the point of care.
• Youth Prevention and Mentoring: Engage youth in positive activities and early intervention.
• Environmental Improvements: Address blight, improve neighborhoods, and promote safety.
• Gun Violence Death Review: Identify missed opportunities for prevention and improve systems.
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PARTERSHIP TEAM
WHD provides strategic direction, coordination, and oversight of implementation and evaluation.
WHD works closely with the Waterbury Police Activity League (PAL) to implement several key components of the GVPP initiative.