⸻ The F.A.I.T.H. Act: Firearm Assessment and Intervention for Teen Health Why This Matters - I am sitting here today because my daughter, Faith, will never again walk through my front door. Her short sixteen years of life, were brutally taken in June of 2025 by a male classmate, who had access to a firearm. Her story is not isolated. Children and teens across our state are exposed to firearms that are not safely stored, leaving devastating consequences for families, schools, and communities. This is not just about my story — it’s about the future of our state and our country. The Problem We Face • Unsafe Access: Despite Michigan’s Safe Storage law, too many children and teens still have unsupervised access to firearms. • Unprepared Students: At 16 or 17 years old, most young people are unprepared to navigate a mental health crisis. They may witness a classmate in distress or threatening self-harm, but they lack the tools to respond safely. • Gaps in Education: We teach American Government and History, Home Economics and Computers- yet our schools rarely provide practical guidance on mental health awareness or crisis intervention for students. Why Accountability Matters - Parents who choose to own firearms must also choose responsibility. Safe storage is not optional; it is life-saving & REQUIRED. Proof of safe storage should be as routine as car seat checks or school immunization records. Complaints of inconvenience cannot outweigh the lives of our children. A Changing World : Gone are the days when childhood meant riding bikes until the streetlights came on. Today’s kids are growing up in a world filled with unprecedented challenges — school shootings, cyberbullying, and increasing mental health struggles. They have breaking news before it even airs on television at their finger tips with apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. In a single scroll, the world watches a puppy playing, how to make 100k overnight, to the assassination of a father. It is uncomfortable to face, but ignoring it will continue to cost lives!!!! Our Call to Action The F.A.I.T.H. Act will: • Strengthen Safe Storage accountability for all parents and guardians. • Provide mandatory mental health awareness education within schools, giving students practical tools to recognize warning signs while protecting themselves. • Bridge the gap between policy and prevention, ensuring that schools, parents, and communities are equipped to act before tragedy occurs. Final Thought We cannot go back to the way things were, but we can move forward with courage, accountability, and compassion. Together, we can create a safer Michigan — and set an example for the rest of the nation. ⸻