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June 26, 2025

Media Contact:
Ebony Wilder, Deputy Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-8650

Maryland Department of Health announces preliminary state prevention plan and firearm violence data dashboard

Baltimore, MD—The Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention (the Center) at the Maryland Department of Health has released the Preliminary State Plan for a Public Health Approach to Reducing Firearm Violence and the Firearm Violence Data Dashboard. Together, these tools will enable the state to take data-driven steps to improve gun violence prevention efforts and reduce firearm violence.

“Every day, we see how gun violence tragically impacts every community across the State of Maryland,” said Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “The data dashboard and preliminary state plan are much-needed, critical tools that will inform our public health and prevention efforts to reduce firearm violence across the state.” 

The Preliminary State Plan is the first step in developing a comprehensive framework to inform the Center’s ongoing efforts. The plan includes an overview of Maryland-specific firearm mortality data and a summary of gun violence as a public health issue. Center goals are also outlined, including conducting a landscape analysis of Maryland’s gun violence prevention policies and programs, enhancing access and analysis of firearm-related data, improving agency coordination, strengthening investment in evidence-informed programs, and advancing education for prevention strategies. Additionally, the plan outlines the Center’s commitment to engaging key partners in its shared mission to advance public health strategies aimed at reducing gun violence. 

The public-facing Firearm Violence Data Dashboard is the most comprehensive and timely state-level dashboard of its kind. The dashboard includes state and local data and demographic information about those injured or killed by a firearm. The Center will utilize the data to analyze the impacts of firearm violence in our state to inform priority programs, policy improvements and implementation of gun laws.

The dashboard offers a user-friendly visualization of firearm injury and death trends to help researchers, community members, and state leaders understand the public health effects of firearm violence. It includes firearm violence statistics going back to 2015 and provisional data through April 2025. The Department will update the dashboard monthly.

“The Preliminary Plan and dashboard will allow state and community leaders and organizations to adapt quickly to changing violence trends and tailor policy in response,” said Assistant Secretary for Population Health and Strategic Initiatives Dr. Elizabeth Esdall Kromm. “With the addition of these resources, the Center can help provide leaders across the state with tools to intervene early, potentially preventing incidents of firearm violence before they occur.”

The Maryland Firearm Violence dashboard includes data on the following:

• Homicide deaths, suicide deaths, and deaths among youth 
• Circumstances preceding homicides and suicides
• Nonfatal injuries and emergency department visits

The dashboard displays the latest data at the jurisdictional level and allows for the analysis of subpopulations by age, race, ethnicity, and gender. It also offers historical data to examine community trends. 

“We are focused on data-driven public health strategies to prevent gun violence, emphasizing collaboration between state and local government agencies, hospitals and community-based intervention programs,” said Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention Executive Director Jen Pauliukonis. “This dashboard is essential for the Center as it allows us to consolidate and improve the coordination of our state's prevention efforts.”

According to the Firearm Violence Data Dashboard, there were 671 firearm deaths in Maryland in 2024. Of these, about 55% were homicides and 44% were suicides. Additionally, there were 780 emergency department visits for non-fatal firearm-related injuries that year.

The Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention is part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to creating a safer Maryland for all. Established under the Maryland Department of Health, the Center aims to reduce firearm violence, lessen the harm caused by firearm incidents, and address firearm misuse in the state. To achieve these goals, the Center collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies and affected communities to implement a public health approach to reducing firearm violence.

For more information about the Maryland Firearm Violence Data Dashboard, visit health.maryland.gov/firearm-data.