INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – A $1 million grant has been awarded to the Indiana State Department of Health to combat school violence through School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training with state and local governments.
The grant, issued through the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, aims to improve school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to violent attacks, and mitigate risk exposure.
The grant goals include training school personnel and educating students to prevent student violence, developing and operating an anonymous reporting system for school threats, and developing and operating school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams that may include coordination with law enforcement agencies and school personnel.
“We are currently experiencing a violent crime wave of epic proportions, and our schools are not immune,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler. “The Justice Department is pleased to partner with non-traditional and traditional partners like the Indiana State Department of Health, willing to illuminate the importance of school safety and reduce school violence through prevention and mental health training.”
According to U.S. Attorney Minkler, the violent crime rate in Indianapolis is more than 250% the national average and has been steadily increasing. Experts in mental health, violence prevention, public health, media studies, and law enforcement who gathered in February 2018 at the University of Pittsburgh, Center for Bioethics and Health Law, reported gun violence across the country to be “a public health problem . . . [and] a threat to every dimension of health . . .undermin[ing] physical, mental, and social well-being.”
“I’m grateful to the Bureau of Justice Assistance for this needed funding, which will allow Indiana to not only remain a national leader in school safety, but to address gaps and increase prevention efforts,” said Indiana State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “We must continue to tackle the problem of school violence from all angles, whether it’s hardening our schools, investing resources in preparedness and training or enhancing our mental health services, in order to keep our students, teachers and administrators safe.”
The grant funding will be used to support the improvement of school security and prevent acts of violence. The grant is a significant step towards addressing the issue of school violence in Indiana.
Defendant/Respondent: Indiana State Department of Health
Crime: School Violence Prevention
State: Indiana
Date: 2023
Amount: $1,000,000
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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