Governor Phil Murphy (D) and Attorney General Matt Platkin announced that $14.5 million, partially from adult-use cannabis sales tax revenue, will go to 27 organizations working to prevent violence via Community-Based Violence Intervention (CBVI) program grants.
Funding for the initiative primarily came from the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization (CREAMM) Fund. Some money is also coming from through federal American Rescue Plan funds.
CBVI was launched in 2021.
“I am thrilled to see the Community-Based Violence Intervention Program enter its fourth year providing lifesaving services in communities across New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy.
“The program has played a role in addressing the root causes of violence through targeted interventions and community partnerships,” he added.
“Our Administration, in collaboration with our community partners, will continue to do what we can to reduce violence in our communities so that our friends and neighbors do not have to worry about their safety,” Murphy declared.
“Our transformational approach to public safety is working. The last two years have marked historic reductions in shootings, and the community-led solutions we fund are a critical part of that strategy,” Platkin explained.
“Governor Murphy’s support and the State’s continued investment in community violence intervention programming has established New Jersey as a leader in prevention,” he added.
Ending the Harms of the War on Drugs
A significant goal of New Jersey adult-use legalization for social justice advocates was that some of the state’s cannabis tax revenue would go to communities most harmed by the negative effects of the War on Drugs.
Many social justice cannabis advocates did not want cannabis tax revenue to go to police officers who might enjoy harassing or arresting peaceful cannabis consumers.
Unfortunately, the CREAMMA law written by the legislature demanded some adult-use cannabis tax revenue must go to cops to address situations where people might not know their consumption limit but drove anyway.
In addition, some advocates have questioned which communities were most hurt by the War on Drugs to deserve the State’s cannabis tax revenue.
Effectively Addressing Street Violence
CBVI community organizations are notable for using a public health approach to violence prevention instead of cops thinking they’re fighting Pablo Escobar. It puts resources in the hands of community-based organizations that use effective strategies that disrupt cycles of violence.
Their strategies help communities reduce shootings, homicides, and other violent acts by supporting and developing healing relationships.
Interventionists and outreach workers respond to situations in real time. They go into hospitals, outside schools, parks, the streets, and neighborhood parties. Providers put trained professionals in the places and with the people at a point critical to preventing further violence and victimization.
The staff of the community organizations that won grants use their relationships and credibility to build trust through community engagement. Their programs include street outreach, counseling, trauma recovery services, mentoring and career development, cognitive behavioral interventions, case management, afterschool programming, and referrals to other providers.
Other initiatives include leading group work with those impacted by or at risk of violence using proven strategies, such as grief counseling, mediation, restorative justice approaches, addiction counseling, and trauma recovery services, that build community capacity and resilience.
These services are recognized as being effective in reducing and responding to violence and serve as a complement to policing.
New Jersey’s CBVI providers use grant funding to deliver direct impact to communities most affected by violence.
In 2024, CBVI providers across the state responded to 365 violent incidents, using de-escalation and mediation techniques as well as other services to those impacted by violence.
Supporting Community Organizations
The CBVI program is overseen by the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA).
“With each year, we strengthen and expand our public safety infrastructure by investing in organizations with deep roots in the communities they serve,” said Patricia Teffenhart, Executive Director of VIVA. “We look forward to continuing working with, and learning from, this dedicated network of colleagues who share our commitment to creating a safer New Jersey.”
VIVA is responsible for creating a statewide infrastructure for victim assistance and violence intervention and prevention services and supporting the development of new initiatives and strategies in those areas. VIVA provides resources and support to community-based organizations that offer these services and helps develop a statewide strategy for the growth and standardization of programs.
Grant Winners
Overall, the money will support 27 CBVI programs in 13 counties. The programs funded through this award are:
Entity County Served
- NJ Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. Passaic, Union, Middlesex,
- SOLID Foundation Youth Outreach Passaic
- St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Inc. Passaic
- Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton Mercer
- Prevention Education, Inc. T/A PEI Kids Mercer
- Salvation and Social Justice Mercer
- The Alcove Center for Grieving Children and Families, Inc. Atlantic
- Wellbeing & Equity Innovations, Inc. Atlantic
- Allied Resources for Children, Inc. Camden
- Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey Camden
- Life Worth Living, Inc. Cumberland, Gloucester
- Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. (DBA Gateway Community Action Partnership Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem
- Hopeloft, A NJ Nonprofit Corporation Essex
- Ironbound Community Corporation Essex
- Newark Community Street Team Essex
- Partners Uplifting Our Daughters and Sons Essex
- Prodigal Sons and Daughters Behavioral Healthcare Services Essex
- The Bridge, Inc. Essex
- United Community Corporation Essex
- Covenant House New Jersey, Inc. Essex, Atlantic
- Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County Hudson
- Kismet of Kings Hudson
- The Guazabara Foundation, Inc. Hudson
- HMH Hospitals Corp. (Jersey Shore University Medical Center) Monmouth
- Camden, Cumberland, Atlantic, Burlington, Gloucester
- Boxwood Learning Center, Inc. Union
- Make the Road NJ Union, Passaic, Middlesex