The American Psychological Association is joining a student-led protest to advocate for gun control legislation, making it perhaps the first professional society to officially join the effort.

The "March for Our Lives" protest on March 24 will be held in Washington, D.C., and cities and communities across the U.S. The event is being organized by high school and college students wanting draw attention to gun violence following the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, which left 17 people dead.

"When the March for Our Lives was first announced, our board of directors was so inspired by the brave example set by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students that they decided to encourage our staff and membership to participate, either in Washington, D.C., or in their local communities," APA CEO Arthur Evans said in a statement provided to CEO Update.

"As it happens, we will be having a meeting that weekend in D.C. of many of our governing boards and committees, so the board and staff agreed to take advantage of that opportunity to involve these out-of-town members, as well as local psychologists, teachers of psychology and students," he said.

APA is encouraging members to visit its D.C. headquarters a day before the march to pick up materials such as badges and stickers they can use to customize their protest signs. On the day of the event, the association will provide a meeting place for psychologists and their friends and family close to the rally location.

"Because gun violence prevention is a key advocacy initiative for APA, it made sense for the association—and for individual psychologists—to be part of the march and to carry our message to the nation: We need evidence-based solutions to gun violence in our schools and throughout our communities," Evans said.

The march is not APA's first foray into the gun control debate. The association, along with other medical and science groups, have long been critical of a 22-year-old ban on the use of federal funding to study the causes of gun violence. The Dickey Amendment, passed by Congress in 1996, prohibits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using funds to advocate for gun control. Lawmakers have since interpreted the language as barring any research into the causes and possible solutions for gun violence.

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