Tennessee programs will receive a $250,000 to support injury and violence prevention programs.

The grant is part of $30 million distributed nationwide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce injury and violence related mortality.

"The strategies that we had selected were things that are intended to be preventive, so we think this is just absolutely key and we are thrilled to see the number of lives it's going to impact and change in Tennessee," she states.

Specifically, the CDC is working with the state to reduce traumatic brain injuries, child abuse and sexual violence.

The $250,000 dollars in Tennessee will fund additional safety procedures at child care centers, increase the number of hospitals implementing shaken baby syndrome prevention programs and increase the number of schools offering programs to discourage intimate partner violence, among others.

According to the CDC, injury from violence is the leading cause of death in the first four decades of life.

Marr says taking a big picture approach across population groups will help reduce injuries and mortality in this state.

"We believe that if you can look at systems-based change, that this is really the way that we're going to achieve population level change and actually see some of the numbers drop for these issues across the state," she says. "Our hope at CDC is that we see these numbers drop across the nation."

In 2014, 963 people died on Tennessee roads. According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, from 2012 to 2014, domestic violence resulted in 270 murders.

Source:

Partner Station WMSR