New Jersey state officials have announced the state would allocate $10 million in federal money to continue funding hospital-based violence intervention programs in New Jersey, relieving anxiety over concerns that funding would end next month.
Gov. Phil Murphy said the funding is another step towards making the state “stronger, fairer and safer.”
“I am proud of the work that this administration has done thus far and am committed to continuing to address the gun violence epidemic our state is facing,” the Democratic governor said.
The announcement came after service providers last month criticized state officials for not earmarking more money for the hospital-based violence intervention programs when the state Attorney General’s office launched it in 2020. At a protest in Newark last week, about 100 anti-violence advocates called for a $10 million investment this year into hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIP), $80 million for the next three years and better communication with state officials.
Murphy and acting state Attorney General Matthew Platkin — who is now one step closer to becoming the permanent top law enforcement officer in New Jersey after being advanced Monday by the Senate Judiciary committee — said the state would use $10 million in federal American Recovery Plan money this year to continue the programs.
“Make no mistake — this investment in our HVIP initiative will save lives,” Platkin said. “New Jersey will continue its groundbreaking efforts in violence intervention programming by disrupting cycles of violence before they start.”
Will Simpson, of the New Jersey Violence Intervention and Prevention Coalition (NJVIPC), led last week’s protest and welcomed the news, though he said the program still needs sustainable, long-term funding. The $10 million investment will provide funding for the next year.
“It is reassuring that the Governor and his team have made the necessary investment to keep existing hospital-based violence intervention programs operable for the rest of the year,” Simpson said. “The NJVIPC will support any and all efforts to establish more expansive, long-term funding for a community-centered public safety ecosystem.”
Public safety advocates identified hospital-based violence intervention programs as a key initiative to reduce violence and provide victims with life-saving services. The program meets victims of violence at their bedside, helping them navigate their new world with counseling, social services and case management to prevent future violence. It also works with victims to break the cycle of violence through intervention.
In Newark, where the first hospital program launched in 2018, the Newark Community Street Team (NCST) has worked with over 500 crime survivors. Only two have been revictimized, the organization said.
The Paterson Healing Collective has helped more than 130 gunshot victims at St. Joseph’s Hospital since October 2020, providing them with a range of services, including case management, home visits, therapy, and assistance obtaining state compensation funds for victims.
“This program is working,” Solomon Middleton Williams, NCST’s deputy director, said.
But concern grew last month when the groups learned they would not have additional funding come September.
The lack of additional funding was due to the U.S. Department of Justice’s reduction in federal Victim of Crime Advocate (VOCA) money to states.
The Attorney General’s Office announced in 2020 that it would distribute $20 million in VOCA funds to nine hospitals across New Jersey — from Atlantic City to Elizabeth — so they could partner with community groups that had created services for victims of violence.
The state said it was part of $93 million in VOCA funding received in the fiscal year 2018. However, the funding decreased to $60.4 million in 2019, $44.4 million in 2020 and $25.2 million in 2021, leaving the state unable to support the hospital-based violence intervention program solely on VOCA funds.
The money was for a two-year term. But the state added a third year of funding through September 2022, the Attorney General’s Office said.
Monday’s announcement was the Murphy’ administration’s most recent investment into community-based public safety initiatives. Many groups doing the hospital work have also recently received additional funding from the $10 million the governor designated last year to support community-based violence intervention programs.
But the groups are still pushing for sustainable investment in the work.
“Our survivors and community members rely on our services, and we could not afford to lose the resources that positively impact their lives,” said Dr. Liza Chowdhury, director of the Paterson Healing Collective. “We look forward to continued efforts to sustain HVIPs and [community-based violence intervention programs] in the future.”
From NJ.com
