PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES TEAM
Public Health Strategies (PHS) takes a comprehensive approach to addressing gun violence by ensuring that legislative policies are effectively implemented. Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) can only reach their full life-saving potential with public education, accessible filing assistance, and behavioral health services for individuals at risk of harming themselves or others.
This Action Team develops and supports initiatives such as:
• Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) education and outreach
• The Handgun Intervention Program, which diverts first-time youthful offenders
• Guns to Gardens safe firearm surrender events
• Suicide prevention efforts, addressing the fact that suicides account for 70% of gun-related deaths in Colorado
Additionally, PHS is exploring a potential partnership with Denver’s Safe Haven program, a network of congregations offering support services to communities traumatized by gun violence.
Convened by Alana Smart — publichealthstrategies@cfcu-co.org
Alana Smart, who heads the Public Health Strategies Action Team, is a co-founder of CFCU, and has long been involved with organizations devoted to social and political change. Among her many accomplishments is serving as founding Executive Director of Housing Colorado, which entailed merging three organizations into one. Alana represented PHS at the first statewide Public Health Roundtable on Firearm-Related Violence Prevention convened by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment.
Alana and her husband Zeik, a longtime community organizer, have lived in Chicago, Minnesota, and Texas. While in Texas, Alana received her master’s degree in Urban Affairs from UT Arlington. They moved to Colorado 40 years ago, where Alana pursued her career as a public sector consultant and served as an aide to Denver’s At-large Councilwoman for two terms. Alana’s favorite pastimes are Zumba, biking, walking Wash Park, and playing with her 6-year-old grandson.