Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said the declaration of gun violence as a mental health crisis will help the city fight the problem.

He said by officially linking gun violence with mental health, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has made it easier for communities like Bridgeport to seek additional federal funding for treatment.

"It's lack of mental health support, it's mental illness, and its challenges, which I think if we address it in a preventative way, a holistic way, will help us reduce gun violence in our cities, and we care particularly about that here in Bridgeport," said Ganim.

The CDC said as of last year, a record number of gun violence cases were tied to mental health issues.