Atlanta Leaders Join Morehouse School of Medicine to Offer Community-Based Solutions to End Violence

ATLANTA, April 4, 2016 -- Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) welcomes the Atlanta community to the school's campus to collectively seek sustainable solutions to end violence in local communities on April 6, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The 8th Annual Dr. Daniel S. Blumenthal Public Health Summit will drive the advancement of health equity through a focus on community engagement and mobilizing local communities for actions to prevent crime and violence. The program will include panel sessions to discuss The Inaccurate Perceptions of the Criminality of Black Men and Boys, Local Efforts Aimed to Prevent Community Violence and the day will close out with a Stop the Violence Atlanta Town Hall.

"We all understand that violence is a pervasive, national public health problem that affects our health, well-being, and quality of life, as well as the socio-economic status of our communities," Robert M. Mayberry, M.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and vice chair of the department of community health and preventive medicine. "But, we also must understand that a comprehensive approach to violence prevention requires the engagement of local communities, community-based and faith-based organizations, social and human services agencies, the school system, criminal justice, public health and healthcare systems."

MSM will be joined by key stakeholders in community and faith-based organizations, academia, public health and social service agencies, justice departments, and healthcare systems, including:

* Cedric Alexander, PsyD - chief of police, DeKalb County Police Department

* Omar Danner, MD, FACS - director of trauma and an associate professor of surgery at the Morehouse School of Medicine

* S. Elizabeth Ford, MD, MBA, FAAP - district health director and chief executive officer of the DeKalb County Board of Health

* The Honorable Paul L. Howard, Jr., Fulton County District Attorney

* Camara Jones, MD, MPH, PhD - president of the American Public Health Association, and a senior fellow at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine

* Brenda Muhammad - Since losing her eldest son to violent crime, creator of both a volunteer movement and an agency that advocates for the fundamental rights of victims and witnesses of crime

In addition to offering a wealth of knowledge, this summit has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 credits™. Click here for more information about continuing education. To learn more about conference, visit the official summit website at http://chpmpublichealthsummit.org.

About Morehouse School of Medicine

Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation's leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists and public health professionals. In 2011, MSM was recognized by Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation's No. 1 medical school in fulfilling a social mission. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care.
Morehouse School of Medicine is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master's degrees. For more information, please visit www.msm.edu 

CONTACT: Ronna Charles Nu'Man 	 
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