HJNO Jul/Aug 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS  I  JUL / AUG 2025 67 Fabienne Gray, MD Pediatric General Surgeon Manning Family Children’s safety when visiting others’ homes. Since launching, the hospital has par- ticipated in more than 100 community outreach events, working alongside early learning centers, juvenile justice programs, neighborhood-based events, and the hos- pital’s Immunization Bus to bring gun safe- ty resources into the community — where they are needed most. When gun violence occurs in a neighborhood, the Children’s team can also quickly coordinate real-time response events, distributing safes and ed- ucational materials within days. Since the inception of the program, more than 2,200 safes have been distrib- uted, and the hospital works to follow up with recipients. Feedback from follow-up surveys tracks participants’ knowledge re- tention, actions taken to improve gun safe- ty at home, behavioral changes regarding firearm storage, and overall satisfaction with the program. Families overwhelm- ingly report that they feel their children are now safer in their homes after receiving a gun safe, and that they are using them. Families who are residents of Orleans Parish and are interested in participating in the program can register for a gun safe online at manningchildrens.org/besmart. The hospital’s injury prevention team will follow up with education and details about upcoming gun safe distribution events. n Fabienne Gray, MD, specializes in pediatric surgery at Manning Family Children’s and is a member of the hospital’s Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. She attended medical school and completed residency training at LSU Health New Orleans. She then com- pleted a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Additionally, Gray serves on the faculty at LSU Health New Orleans as an assistant professor of clinical surgery. AS THE Level II Pediatric Trauma Center serving Greater New Orleans, Manning Family Children’s cares for approximately one child per week who has been injured by gun violence — in its emergency depart- ment, operating rooms, and intensive care units. With a physician-led approach, the hospital has partneredwith the City of New Orleans and community partners since 2023 to change the statistics surrounding gun violence and children, bringing life- saving resources directly to families. In 2020, gun violence became the lead- ing cause of death for children nationally. But here in Louisiana, guns have been the leading cause of death in kids for more than a decade. As a leader in child health and wellbeing, Manning Family Children’s believes it has a responsibility to help pre- vent this public health crisis, aiming to keep kids safe, and to keep guns out of the hands of kids. Through a pioneering gun safety pro- gram, our grassroots approach in New Or- leans has emerged as a national model for community-based firearm safety, distrib- uting more than 2,200 biometric gun safes and reaching families across seven high- risk ZIP codes in Jefferson and Orleans parishes since the program first launched two years ago. The program, supported by American Rescue Plan funds through the City of New Orleans, grants, and philanthropic contributions, was recently featured in the Children’s Hospital Association’s na- tional report on firearm injury prevention efforts, and Manning Family Children’s was also invited to participate in a White House forum on gun safety just last year, highlighting the program’s impact and best practices with peers from across the Unit- ed States. In collaboration with the New Orle- ans Health Department’s Office of Vio- lence Prevention, Ubuntu Village, and the NOLA Peace Ambassadors, Manning Family Children’s takes a comprehensive approach to firearm injury prevention. The initiative offers trauma-informed gun safety education, and distributes free bio- metric gun safes with a focus on gun vi- olence hotspots and neighborhoods with high child population density. This helps ensure that these valuable resources and education are reaching those who need themmost. A key element of the program is the distribution of free biometric gun safes. Biometric gun safes were chosen based on data showing that gun owners found them the most secure and easy to use, and said they would be willing to use them, espe- cially in homes with children. As pediatric healthcare providers, we see firsthand the impact that gun vio- lence has on children and how it changes families forever. With our gun safety pro- gram, we’re proud to be working alongside grassroots leaders and public health part- ners working toward lasting change. Responsible gun ownership protects kids and reduces child firearm deaths. Families don’t just receive a safe; they leave with the tools and knowledge they need to make their homes safer for kids. Guns should be stored unloaded, separate from ammunition, and locked in boxes or safes, or with cable locks. And we encour- age friends and neighbors to practice se- cure storage whenever children visit their homes, and to have conversations about