GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES $5.1 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Source: Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Department of Public Health
BOSTON — Governor Deval Patrick today awarded two sets of grants totaling more than $5.1 million to organizations throughout Massachusetts to support crime and violence prevention efforts. The Governor made the announcement at the Samuel Adams Elementary School, where he discussed peace curriculums in the public schools.
“In many cases, a violent act takes only seconds, but the impact on individuals, families and communities can last a lifetime,” said Patrick. “The violence that we are seeing on our streets must end, and we know that it will take more than law enforcement to create a lasting peace. These grants underscore our belief that violence is both a public safety problem and a public health problem.”
Governor Patrick said the $1.6 million in grant funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) will strengthen community anti-violence coalitions, and help replicate similar efforts in communities without such initiatives. Programs funded by the grants range from after school programs, to job training and mentoring support for teenagers. The funding was awarded to 21 existing proven youth violence prevention coalitions.
A key to preventing violence is to support community efforts," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. JudyAnn Bigby. "Violence is a public health problem. These grants support public health strategies to address the root causes of violence."
The DPH Prevention of Youth Violence grants mark the first time in more than a decade that the Department has provided funding specifically for community organizations for violence prevention. Governor Patrick added that the work statewide will focus on prevention strategies and will target resources to vulnerable populations suffering the greatest impacts of violence.
The Governor also highlighted $3.5 million awarded in federal money through the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Grant to fund innovative anti-crime programs developed and implemented by cities and towns, state universities, state agencies and non-profit agencies and organizations. The Byrne grant program allows cities and towns, often in partnerships with academic institutions and non-profits, to fund programs that have proven to be effective in reducing crime at the local level.
“These awards complement the administration's coordinated effort with DPH to prevent violence and create safe spaces for our youth to make good decisions,” said Kevin Burke, Secretary of Public Safety and Security.
The Patrick Administration increased outreach efforts on the traditional annual grant program, placing an emphasis on youth and gang violence, substance abuse, sexual and domestic violence, information technology that fosters information sharing and multi-jurisdictional collaborations, sex offenders, and the development of best practices.
In response to the Governor’s priorities, $1.5 million of the $3.5 million went to 18 different projects across the state to address youth violence (42% of available funding)
Projects include funding Boston based organizations such as the Black Ministerial Alliance and Project Right to create safe havens for local youth, as well as the Boston Ten Point Coalition to further efforts at gang mediation and truce initiatives. Funding for youth violence prevention went to cities such as Brockton, Springfield, Chicopee, New Bedford, Lowell, and Fall River
Another major priority for the Governor is to improve efforts at addressing the domestic violence and sexual assault problems in our communities. More than $500,000 will be distributed to eight organizations implementing innovative strategies to confront this epidemic, including the Brockton Family and Community Resources to fund public housing advocates for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center to fund legal advocacy for sexual assault victims.
The administration awarded the remaining $1.5 million to 26 other programs in areas including re-entry, substance abuse prevention and intervention, criminal justice research, and improving strategies to deal with sex offenders. In total, nearly 60% of total funding distributed went to areas of priority directed by the Administration — youth violence and domestic violence and sexual assault.
