The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) opposes legislative efforts to limit, restrict or interfere in clinical inquiries led by physicians with patients and parents related to the presence of and access to firearms in the home.
AACAP encourages the strict enforcement of existing laws pertaining to safety measures and initiatives related to gun ownership designed to protect children and reduce the incidence of gun related violence. AACAP also supports efforts to educate children and the general public about the increased risk of accidental injury and death associated with gun ownership. These efforts include support for increased funding for research on gun safety, the prevention of gun related violence, and the mental health and treatment needs of children and families affected by gun-related violence. and the mental health and treatment needs of children and families affected by gun-related violence.
To see a copy of AACAP’s Children and Guns Policy Statement, please click here.
AACAP provides various resources on children’s mental health including information on factors that may lead children to participate in gun violence. To learn more, please visit:
AACAP’s Facts for Families, “Children and Firearms”
AACAP’s Facts for Families, “Understanding Violent Behavior in Children and Adolescents”
