Washington, D.C., June 14, 2021 - Today, Brady applauds the California General Assembly and Senate for including $200 million in dedicated funding for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP). This funding, first proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom in his California Comeback Plan will more than quadruple the grant program’s existing funds and will go to critical, evidence-based programs that heal communities to reduce violence and support Californians. CalVIP and the programs it supports are evidence-led, public health approaches to addressing gun violence and this funding will help to catalyze more of that life-saving work.Brady California President Mattie Scott shared:“California continues to lead the nation in passing laws and policies to prevent gun violence and address its root causes in our communities. Our laws work. The gun homicide rate in California is 30 percent lower than the national rate, while the rate for all firearm deaths is 37 percent lower in California than the national rate. Despite this, our communities, particularly Black and Brown communities, continue to suffer from the daily onslaught of violence and homicide CalVIP is a vital and life-saving component of a common-sense, public health approach to addressing this crisis, funding community violence prevention programs that help to stop violence and heal our communities. This is an historic day for California. Brady, Healing 4 Our Families & Our Nation and L.A. Mothers in Charge Chapter, thank the state legislature for passing this important funding and thank Gov. Newsom for including it in his California Comeback Plan last month.”Brady Oakland Program Manager Erica Rice shared:“The programs funded by CalVIP will help to address the root causes of violence in our communities, mediating conflict and providing a lifeline to many individuals and families who are reeling from the trauma of gun violence. Particularly after the surge in gun violence and homicides in 2020, this funding will help to save lives and stop further violence. This historic increase will allow community-led organizations across the state to continue their work with and within impacted communities. Gov. Newsom was right to propose this funding and the state legislature was right to ensure it was included in the budget. It will save lives.”Team ENOUGH Executive Councilmember Stephan Abrams shared:“As a Californian and a young person, I have watched as our state has led the nation in passing comprehensive and common-sense gun violence prevention laws. The inclusion of this funding for CalVIP is another such moment. These funds will help community violence prevention programs across the state uplift and support communities. I have seen these programs work and these funds put to use and remember when our California members first lobbied for an increase in CalVIP funds. Today’s increase is historic, needed, and prudent. I am grateful to Gov. Newsom and the state legislature for including this increase in the budget.”About this Funding:Included in the budget is a provision of over $200 million to the General Fund to reduce gun violence in the state. This includes the following:
$200 million one-time General Fund across the next three fiscal years for the Board of State and Community Corrections to expand the California Violence Intervention and Prevention grant program (CalVIP) which provides competitive grants to cities and community-based organizations to support services such as community education, diversion programs, outreach to at-risk transitional age youth, and violence reduction models.
$10 million for the Gun Violence Reduction Program and $300,000 for the costs to administer the grants to the Board of State Community Corrections and adopts placeholder trailer bill language to establish the grant program. The Budget Act of 2019 previously provided $3 million General Fund to establish a Gun Violence Reduction Pilot Program to support local law enforcement agencies in conducting activities related to seizing weapons and ammunition from persons who are prohibited from possessing them.
About CalVIP:Established in 2019, CalVIP supports evidence-based urban violence prevention programs such as hospital and community-based violence interventions. These programs are proven to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults, especially in communities of color, often black communities, that are disproportionately affected by gun violence.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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