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Ohio AAP seeks $1M over two years to expand 'Store It Safe' safe‑storage and suicide prevention work
Summary
The Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics urged the committee to add funding for the Store It Safe program—focused on safe storage of firearms, medications and cannabis products—requesting $500,000 per fiscal year to expand training, quality improvement and lockbox distribution.
Dr. Sarah Denney, vice president of the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, urged the House Health Committee to support an amendment to HB 96 that would allocate $500,000 per fiscal year for the Store It Safe program. Denney said the program focuses on lethal‑means counseling and safe storage of firearms, medications and marijuana products to prevent intentional and unintentional injuries in children and adolescents.
Denney cited statistics on adolescent suicide and pediatric poisoning: she said rising suicide rates make suicide prevention a foremost concern for pediatricians and noted the Ohio Poison Control Center received over 1,400 calls in 2024 related to cannabis exposures, 75% of which involved children. Store It Safe began in 2015 and has worked with diverse stakeholders, including firearm‑rights advocates, to develop prevention messaging and clinician training.
The AAP asked the committee to establish Store It Safe as a statewide brand, expand quality‑improvement work with pediatric providers, and provide funds for lockboxes and community outreach. Denney characterized the proposal as incentive‑based and non‑mandating, emphasizing education and voluntary community safety initiatives.
Committee members did not vote on the proposal during the informal hearing; the panel encouraged submission of written materials and cost details for consideration during budget discussions.
