SAVIR is the hub for injury and violence research. As such, we are working to connect our members with each other and those who make decisions regarding investment in IVP research funding and evidence-based approaches to solutions of injury and violence outcomes. 

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There are many threats and challenges our research community face under the current administration and Congress. The President’s FY 2026 Budget request is proposing many changes to our work. We find that direct, sustained, and local attention to the critical issues you address helps the community and lawmakers to understand the value of IVP research. We identified a few steps you can take to bring attention to your lifesaving and critically impactful work. We are going to work to keep this site updated as we receive any information or resources that may be a benefit to you in your endeavors. Please know that we at SAVIR are working hard to connect with lawmakers and colleagues to make our collective voice heard and elevate the field.  

Timeline & Action Items:

Budget mark-ups happen in late August/early September. We strongly believe this is an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ moment to ensure our infrastructure for IVP work is not destroyed and lives are not lost. There is a lot you can do this summer to elevate your work. In the visits we have had, we are finding that many lawmakers and the community do not know our work. We have the power to inform them about the lives we save, the jobs we create, and how important this issue is to society. We also found that the best action is local action, and recommend the following activities:

  1. Call your Congressperson and Senators. If they are supportive of IVP and your work, thank them for their support. If they are not, tell them why your work matters in their district, to their constituents. 
  2. Visit your Congressperson or Senators in their home district. Set up an appointment to meet with their staffers in your state.  
  3. Arrange site visits. Invite your lawmaker or their staff to a site visit and show them what you do. 
  4. Write op eds and letters to the editor. Write a letter to the editor or an op ed for your local news outlet. 
  5. Press conference. You can reach out to the press and host a press conference.
  6. State & local lawmakers. You can do steps 1 through 3 with your state and local lawmakers. They are working hard to understand the issues and how their constituents will be impacted. They can help elevate your work. 

Some Tips:

SAVIR is holding online writing hours for people to set aside dedicated time to meet and write. Every Tuesday from 11am – 1pm ET, June 24 through August 26th. Register here, feel free to invite colleagues to join you. Numbers are important but be sure to use stories about impact. You can write with colleagues or a community partner or share a story from your work. 

Relevant Resources:

Key points to share:

  • ICRCs develop policies and programs to reduce injury and violence at the local, state, and federal levels; provide technical assistance to local and state health departments with implementation of model programs that are responsive to communities’ needs; and evaluate injury and violence prevention programs across the country.
  • They are uniquely positioned to collaborate with law enforcement, community partner organizations, local and state health departments, and others to foster the design and implementation of targeted, evidence-based injury and violence prevention programs.
  • They focus on the most pressing injury and violence prevention needs within their communities and have demonstrated a proven impact across the injury and violence prevention arena.
  • Maintaining these Centers is critical for addressing pressing IVP issues across urban, rural, and suburban communities supporting all constituencies.