Partnering with Black Funeral Home Directors to Reduce Mortality and Gun Violence

For generations, Black Funeral Home Directors BFHDs have operated within the Black community, accumulating extensive knowledge of multiple family generations impacted by firearm-related deaths and possessing decades of neighborhood-level insights. BFHDs can be key allies in developing and implementing premature death and violence prevention efforts. The increasing incidence of chronic disease, suicide, and homicide related to gun violence among Black Americans, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, represents a significant public health threat and social justice issue. The Epidemiological Criminology framework is proposed to understand factors affecting chronic disease risks, premature deaths, and criminal justice responses, allowing for the promotion of social work practice that supports trauma-informed responses, self-care, and healing. This article explores the potential for collaboration between BFHDs and social workers to address the complex issues of gun violence and premature death in Black communities, leveraging the unique position and cultural competence of BFHDs to complement existing efforts targeting high-risk groups.