*This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. 
 
1993.12.09 :  Violence Fact Sheet

December 9, 1993

CONFRONTING VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
Role of the Department of Health and Human Services

Escalating violence in America is causing not only unnecessary
injury and death, but also community disintegration and a sense of
hopelessness.  Violence is a social problem with a serious and
growing impact on public health -- including high health care
costs.

The Clinton Administration is developing a coordinated,
inter-departmental strategy to confront violence.  The Department
of Health and Human Services, with its wide array of social and
health programs, has a key role in developing and supporting the
Clinton plan.

Violence in America is an epidemic:

--   At least 2.2 million Americans are victims of violent injury
each year.  
--   The United States ranks first among industrialized nations in
violent death rates -- literally off the charts compared with other
industrialized countries.

--   Both victims and perpetrators have become increasingly
younger, so that for the first time we are faced with a problem of
kids killing kids.

--   In 1991, some 26,500 Americans were victims of homicide, and
it became the 10th leading cause of death in America.  Homicide
deaths increased more than 30 percent from 1985-
1991.

--   Homicide is the second-leading cause of death for young women
and men aged 15 to 24.  It is the leading cause of death for young
African-Americans males, 15-34 years of age.  African-American men
face a 1 in 27 lifetime risk of being murdered.

Violence includes a wide range of problems, and many of these are
interrelated:

--   In addition to assault with deadly weapons, violence includes
child abuse, sexual assault, spousal abuse, elder abuse and hate or
inter-group violence.  Drunk driving and suicide are also forms of
violence.  

--   Violence can beget more violence, and violence involving
children has especially pernicious effects.  The relationships
between different kinds and levels of violence need to be better
understood.

In addition to unnecessary injury and death, violence results in
significant health care spending:

--   For every death from violence, there are over 100 times as
many nonfatal injuries.  About a third of all injuries in America
are estimated to be the result of violence.

--   Direct health care costs alone due to violent injury are
estimated at some $5.7 billion per year.

--   However, the true total cost of violence to the health care
system is difficult to estimate since doctors seldom identify
violence as the cause of women's and children's injuries or
illnesses, and most such violence goes unreported to authorities.

--   Up to 30 percent of emergency room visits by women are the
result of injuries from domestic violence, which accounts for over
1.4 million doctor visits each year.

--   An estimated 31.7 million American women (22%) have been
victims of sexual assault, and two-thirds of them were assaulted
before the age of 18.

--   Some 5 million assaulted women currently suffer from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can last a lifetime when left
untreated.

--   Rape, domestic violence and childhood abuse substantially
increase the risk of other trauma-related disorders, including
depression, anxiety, suicide attempts, substance abuse, eating
disorders, and sexually transmitted diseases.  

The Department of Health and Human Services includes a large number
of social and public health programs that can help alleviate
conditions that may lead to violence.  The Clinton Administration
has already taken steps to improve many of these HHS programs.  For
example:

-- Head Start provides comprehensive education and health services
to needy children, many of whom live in distressed communities
beset by violence.  Many Head Start centers include instruction on
conflict resolution to help prepare youngsters to deal
constructively with conflict situations.  The Administration is
expanding and improving the Head Start program.

-- The AFDC JOBS program provides employment training and education
for individuals receiving welfare assistance.

The Administration's welfare reform initiative will further
emphasize the transition to work and self-sufficiency for those
receiving assistance.  The Administration will also support
"empowerment zones" and "enterprise communities" where assistance
will be concentrated to improve living conditions and help create
job opportunities.

-- The Family Preservation and Support Act will provide community
based services for families in stress, helping to prevent
situations that can lead to domestic  violence.

The Clinton Administration pioneered this legislation, which was
enacted in *This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. 
 
1993.

-- HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
supports treatment and prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, as
well as provision of mental health services.  SAMHSA's "High Risk
Youth" program targets common antecedents of both violence and
subtance abuse in young people, such as alienation from peer group
and family.

The Administration is placing new emphasis on reducing demand for
drugs.   

In addition, several HHS programs are directly addressed at
understanding and preventing violence.  Spending on these
activities will total almost $200 million in FY 1994:

HHS SOCIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES:  Several programs to help prevent
violence are administered by the Administration for Children and
Families, and by the Administration on Aging.  Total spending is
estimated at about $115 million in FY 1994.

-- National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect:  NCAN supports a
network of programs in states to prevent and treat child abuse,
improve the handling of child abuse cases and support research and
demonstration projects.

-- Family Violence Prevention:  ACF supports state and local
programs to prevent family violence and provide temporary shelter
and other assistance to victims and their dependents. 

-- Youth Gang Drug Prevention:  ACF funds demonstration projects to
help communities control the spread of gang violence and
drug-related activities through early intervention and diversion of
at-risk youth from gang membership. 

-- Elder Abuse Prevention:  The Administration on Aging supports
efforts to prevent abuse of older persons.   

HHS PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES:  A variety of activities are carried
out by agencies of the U.S. Public Health Service, providing
support to community programs as well as gathering violence-related
data.  Within PHS, leadership and coordination of violence
prevention activities is provided by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.  Total PHS spending on violence is
estimated at about $80 million in FY 1994.

-- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  CDC collects data
and analyzes patterns, looks for causes of violence, evaluates
various interventions, and puts programs in place through
community-based organizations and state and local health agencies.

-- National Institutes of Health:  NIH supports 275 research
projects focusing on victims of violence and environmental and
psychological risk. 

-- Health Resources and Services Administration:  HRSA violence
prevention program focuses on women, children and adolescents.   

Most important, the Clinton Administration is committed to
developing a government-wide strategy aimed at reducing violence. 

--   The Administration has formed an Interagency Working Group on
Violence to develop a comprehensive plan.  HHS and the Department
of Justice are leading the group, with participation by the
Departments of Education, Labor, HUD and Agriculture, as well as
the Office of National Drug Control Policy. 

--   The Working Group is focusing especially on youth violence,
family and domestic violence, community violence, hate violence,
and sexual assault.

--   Working Group findings and recommendations will deal with:

     the scope of the problem
     causes of violence
     what is being done already by different
     levels of government and by others
     appropriate remedies
     what the federal role should be, and how it can best be
     coordinated
     a research and evaluation agenda for understanding and
     confronting violence
     what technical assistance do people need in their
     neighborhoods and communities.

--   The Working Group aims at making recommendations to the
          President by early 1994.

Contact:  HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343