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Once, a high school student's biggest fear might have been failing algebra or English. Today, many students worry more about getting shot. The Carter Center's Not Even One (NEO) Program has created a demonstration site in Atlanta to address the epidemic of Americans age 17 and younger who are killed by guns.

Established in April, the site is managed by Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital of Grady Health System in conjunction with Morehouse School of Medicine. Together with Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, these partners are working with NEO to develop a public health model to help reduce firearm deaths among children.

NEO's strategy hinges on gathering data through Community Action Teams (CATs), now operating at demonstration sites in Santa Fe/Albuquerque, N.M., and Compton/Long Beach, Calif. Each CAT includes 10 to 20 local people such as clergy, public health and law enforcement professionals, teachers, business leaders, and those affected by firearm violence—including children and their families. Members are trained to use public health research methods to collect information about gun-related deaths of youths in their communities.

"After compiling the data, team members not only look for patterns but also try to identify strategies that may have prevented the incidents," explained Don Payton, NEO assistant director. "They then share their findings with community leaders and local agencies that could help prevent similar tragedies in the future. Ideally, the CAT model will be implemented nationwide and will become a standard public health practice."

NEO has formed an advisory board and two CAT teams to begin serving the Atlanta site in July. "We have a lot of teenagers at my church, so helping stop some of the potential violence around them makes sense to me," said John Williams, assistant pastor of Saint Philip AME Church and a CAT member. "Not Even One is a proactive approach to the problem. Each CAT member brings a different professional and personal perspective to the team. Their range of input creates a broader reference base, providing a clearer picture of what is happening in the community and why."

Robert Agnew, professor of sociology at Emory University, will serve on NEO's 30-member Atlanta advisory board. He has provided training materials for the CAT teams and gathered relevant re-search data for the program's review.

This fall, Emory will add a minor in violence studies to its curriculum. "The minor will add a new dimension to students' understanding of violence and ways to prevent it," Dr. Agnew said. "They will be encouraged to do internships with NEO to learn firsthand how research can be translated into policy."