Community Violence Messages for Testing

Attachment 9: CV Messages for Testing

OMB Control No. 0920-1154

Exp. Date 3/31/2026

Community Violence (CV) Messages for Testing

CV Messages

Big idea 1: Fights, murders, shootings, and other acts of community violence that happen in our public places don’t only hurt those who are directly involved—they hurt everyone, and they hurt those with certain risk factors the most.

These are some messages we’ll test for big idea 1:

1. Main message: When people fight in a nearby park, they’re going to get hurt, and everyone in the neighborhood gets hurt, too.

   1. Alt: You are less safe and healthy when a fight breaks out in your neighborhood, even when you’re not directly involved in it.

   2. Alt: When someone gets shot on your street, everyone in the neighborhood gets hurt in some way or another.

   1. Supporting message: And experiencing or witnessing this kind of community violence hurts our young people more than other groups.

      1. Alt: And witnessing or experiencing this kind of community violence makes it particularly hard for our young people to lead healthy lives now and in the future.

      2. Alt: And growing up around this kind of community violence makes it harder for every kid in the neighborhood to enjoy a healthy life—now and for years to come.

Big idea 2: In exploring and implementing best practices for preventing community violence, public health plays a critical role in research and active partnership.

These are some messages we’ll test for big idea 2:

2. Main message: Community violence is a crime problem that threatens our safety, and it also threatens our health—now and in the long term.

   1. Alt: When violent crime goes up, health goes down, because many healthy habits like taking walks or connecting with friends and family are harder to do when we don’t feel safe in public spaces.

   2. Alt: When fights and shootings are happening in your neighborhood, you’re less likely to participate in healthy activities like taking walks or bringing kids to the park.

   3. Alt: When someone gets shot on your street, the neighborhood kids may feel anxious and become too afraid to play outside anymore.

   4. Alt: Violence can hurt us in different ways—a gunshot wound harms a person physically, and the trauma of witnessing a shooting can harm the whole community emotionally and psychologically.

   1. Supporting message: Law enforcement, hospitals, and other community and health organizations can work together to both respond to and prevent community violence.

      1. Alt: Police, social workers, doctors, and other groups work together to help us both respond to and prevent community violence.

      2. Alt: That’s why law enforcement, first responders, and public health workers come together to respond to and prevent fights, murders, shootings, and other types of community violence in your neighborhood.

      3. Alt. Police can listen to and address the concerns of community members that have witnessed violence. Mental health workers can help our kids feel safe again. Researchers can share the evidence for what works to prevent violence. And together we can take smart steps that are proven to prevent those fights from happening again.

      4. Alt: While police can address the crime that may cause violence in a community, public health supports can prevent the conditions that lead to violence.

Big idea 3: We can promote protective factors to intervene where community violence is currently happening and prevent it in the near and long term.

These are some messages we’ll test for big idea 3:

3. Main message: Years of research support street outreach programs where community members and trained professionals work together to stop ongoing community violence and prevent it in the future.

   1. Alt: After a fight or shooting, guidance and support from trained professionals helps prevent more violence from occurring.

   2. Alt: After a fight or shooting, staff at local hospitals can connect patients to programs and resources that help prevent more violence from occurring.

   3. Alt: Trained people from the community can recognize when tension between young people is high and help stop the violence from happening.

   1. Supporting message: Every community is different, so be sure to take actions that make sense for you and your neighbors.

      1. Alt: We should pick and choose the science-backed solutions that will work best in our specific community.

      2. Alt: You should start with proven solutions that you can see working best for your neighborhood in particular.

   2. Sample calls to action (CTAs):

Audience	Desired action	CTAs to test (not an exhaustive list of all CTAs possible within final messages)
General public	Highlight broad categories of CV interventions in the RFA	Our local hospitals, schools, and other health and community centers can work together to prevent violence in our neighborhoods.
Policymakers	Promote policies that support the SDOH	When we clean up vacant lots or build a public park, we’re not just making our community look nicer—we’re also making it safer.
Community organizations looking for CVI resources	Implement the recommendations in the RFA	If you don’t feel safe walking in your neighborhood, it’s not your fault, and you’re not alone—check out CDC’s strategies for preventing community violence at [website]. If you want to make your neighborhood safer, check out CDC’s strategies for preventing community violence at [website]. If we don't feel safe walking in our neighborhoods, we can do something about it—together. Check out CDC’s strategies for preventing community violence at [website]. You know what’s best for your community, and you can draw from CDC’s work—they’ve gathered the best available evidence to help inform steps your community can take to prevent violence.