Injury and Violence Prevention Advocates Thank Dr. Allison Arwady for Her Exemplary Service to the American People

Arwady Left Her Position as Head of CDC Injury Center in May

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, injury and violence prevention advocates, led by the Keep America Safe Coalition and The Injury and Violence Prevention Network, both initiatives of the Safe States Alliance, thanked Dr. Allison Arwady for her leadership and years of service to the American people, as Director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Dr. Arwady ended her service to the CDC in May, and was replaced by Acting Director of the Injury Center, Fred Thomas III.

The injury prevention advocates celebrated Arwady’s leadership:

“As organizations committed to protecting Americans from injury and violence, we have had no finer friend than Dr. Allison Arwady. For over two years, Dr. Arwady led the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control with the expertise and dedication that have marked her long and impressive career in medicine and public health. Our nation is better, stronger, and safer for her leadership.

“During Dr. Arwady’s tenure, drug overdose deaths in the United States have declined significantly — a direct result of the Injury Center’s data collection efforts and the work it funded at state and local prevention programs — and are now down to pre-pandemic levels. Amid drastic staffing cuts and budgetary threats, Dr. Arwady led the successful fight to secure full funding from Congress for the Injury Center’s vital work while maintaining partnerships with public safety colleagues in every state. Time and again, she told the Injury Center’s story in ways that resonated with policymakers, funders, and the public.

“We believe the Injury Center is in good hands with its new Acting Director, Fred Thomas III, who previously served as deputy director. His familiarity and experience with the Injury Center and his strategic leadership will help ensure that its essential work can continue.

“Despite the Injury Center’s remarkable 30-year track record, the Administration is once again proposing to eliminate it. The fight to save it will require what Dr. Arwady brought to work each day: a steadfast and unwavering commitment to the Injury Center’s mission, personnel, and programs. We are proud to be guided by the example she set on behalf of the American people she served so well.”

Signed,

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

American Public Health Association

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)

Big Cities Health Coalition

Columbia Center for Injury Science and Prevention

Futures Without Violence

Injury Free Coalition for Kids

National Alliance to End Sexual Violence

National Network of Public Health Institutes

National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives

Prevent Child Abuse America

Prevention Institute

Safe States Alliance

Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research

Society for Public Health Education

ValorUS

YMCA of the USA

The Safe States Alliance is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and professional association whose mission is to strengthen the practice of injury and violence prevention. It recently announced a new campaign to protect the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention Center, called the Keep America Safe Coalition.

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