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Action Plan Draft

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Santa Clara County
Violence Prevention Council
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September 9,1998

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DRAFT 9/98

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Table of Contents

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Acknowledgments

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Executive Summary.

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A Case for Violence Prevention

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Violence Prevention Council History, Background, Processes

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Committee Reports & Recommendations
Policy

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Community Assessment & Data & Interagency Task Force

54

Cotnmunity Based Initiatives

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Public Awareness & Education

Appendices

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Public Information Library Content Areas

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Policy Work Group Bibliographies

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Acknowledsments
The work of the Violence Prevention Council has often been difficult and time consuming—yet rewarding.

The time, resource, and energy commitment ofthe many individuals and agencies is greatly appreciated.
Heartfelt appreciation to our Council and Committee Chairs for their commitment and dedication.
Violence Prevention Council Co-chairs

James T. Beall, Board of Supervisors, District Four

Guadalupe S. Olivas, PhD, Director, Public Health Department, Santa Clara Valley
Health & Hospital System

Policy Committee Co-chairs
Robert Garner, Director, Department of Alcohol & Drug Services
Jose Villareal, Public Defender

Community Assessment & Data Co-chairs
Nancy Pena, PhD, Deputy Director, Mental Health Department

Guadalupe S. Olivas, PhD, Director, Public Health Department, Santa Clara Valley
Health & Hospital System

Interagency Task Force Chair
Alice Foster, Deputy County Executive

Community Based Initiatives Co-chairs
Reverend Vaughn Beckman, Director, Council of Churches
Ernest Guzman, Program Manager, Council of Non Profits
Public Awareness & Education Co-chairs

Peter Kutras, Deputy County Executive*
Tom Sing, Assistant Sheriff

Thanks must also be extended to those generous people who provided input and guidance through Council
and committee meetings, community forums, letters and phone calls.
Violence Prevention Program Staff

Andrea Villasenor Perry, MSW,Program Coordinator
Christina Goette, MPH,Health Educator

Susan Lowery,PeaceBuilders Coordinator
Dave Weller, MA,MPH,PeaceBuilders Program Assistant
Nelda Grimes, Support Staff

'Increasing job responsibilities required Mr. Kutras to resign his duties as committee co-chair in July.

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Executive Summary
This report presents the Action Plan for Violence Prevention in Santa Clara County, drafted by the

members ofthe Violence Prevention Council(VPC). The recommendations are made with the full

recogmtion that violence is complex and that there are many root causes and contributing factors, thereby

requiring a comprehensive, multidimensional prevention strategy with both short and long term objectives.

The Council has identified three priority areas with which to begin confronting the challenges we face-

Promotmg Violence Free Relationships, Reducing Access to Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Preventmg
Firearm-Related Deaths and Injuries.

These priority areas were addressed and considered by four different committees:

Policy, Community

Assessment & Data, Community Based Initiatives, and Public Awareness & Education.

The following matrix summarizes briefly how the committees’ recommendations intersect with the VPC
goals and priority areas.

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