At a glance
- Injury is the leading cause of death among people ages 1–44.
- In the first half of life, more Americans die from injuries and violence—such as overdose, suicide, motor vehicle crashes, and homicide—than from any other cause.
- The CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (the Injury Center) works to protect Americans from injury and violence.
What we do
Since 1993, the Injury Center has established itself as a leader in protecting Americans from injury and violence. Our mission is to prevent injury, overdose, suicide, and violence across the lifespan through science and action. We work proactively with our partners to track trends, conduct research, raise awareness, and implement prevention programs.
Over the past 32 years, the Injury Center has continually evolved and adapted to address the most pressing public health challenges—from suicide and overdose to child abuse and community violence, with a focus on groups of people who are disproportionately at risk. We build partnerships, spearhead research, and implement programs to prevent injury and improve public health.
The Injury Center commits more than 80% of its annual budget to partners outside the federal government like states, localities, tribes, and non-profit organizations. This funding supports critical prevention efforts in communities across the country.
Priorities
We focus on prevention—stopping injuries and violence before they happen.
The Injury Center concentrates efforts on those at greatest risk for injury and violence to elevate the health and well-being of all people. Across many topics, we are working to ensure equity in policies, programs, and services related to injury and violence.
Our priorities include:
- Preventing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
- Preventing overdose and substance use-related harms
- Preventing suicide
We also focus on preventing violence in our communities and unintentional injuries, from drowning to traumatic brain injury, and serve as the CDC coordination hub for mental health activities.
Preventing these challenges is one of the most strategic investments we can make to create a healthier, more resilient society and reduce long-term economic burdens.
Our work
Like infectious diseases, injury and violence are preventable.
The Injury Center uses the same scientific methods to prevent injuries and violence that are used to prevent disease. We are focused on saving lives, promoting health, and lowering the costs of injuries and violence by using our expertise and investments to:
- Build national data systems to track trends in violent deaths and overdose.
- Research critical issues including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), suicide, and unintentional injuries.
- Implement and support effective national programs such as Rape Prevention and Education, Overdose Data to Action, and Drug-Free Communities.
- Provide rapid onsite expertise through Epi-Aids and programmatic technical assistance to funded recipients.
- Support health departments, research institutions, community-based organizations, and American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Funding that helps us do our work
The Injury Center is funded by Congress through the annual appropriations process. With a fiscal year 2024 budget of $761,379,000, the Injury Center is able to provide crucial research, programs, and services that protect all Americans and foster community environments where individuals, families, and communities can thrive.
Leadership Bio
Dr. Allison Arwady leads innovative research and science-based programs to prevent injuries and violence and to reduce their consequences.