New Jersey\u2019s governor and attorney general have opened another round of funding for a violence-intervention grant program financed largely by revenue from state-legal marijuana.<\/p>\n
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin (D) said Tuesday that the newly announced awards, which will funnel $14.5 million to support community organizations across the state, will bring the amount dedicated to community-based violence intervention (CBVI) programs since 2021 up to nearly $55 million.<\/p>\n
While the program receives some federal dollars, state funding consists primarily of marijuana revenue from the New Jersey\u2019s Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Fund, which was established through the state\u2019s marijuana legalization law, and consists of monies from taxes on legal sales, industry fees and civil penalties. The fund \u201cis dedicated to reinvestment in communities most impacted by cannabis criminalization,\u201d the new announcement says.<\/p>\n
Applications for the grants are due to the New Jersey Attorney General\u2019s Office by October 21. An optional informational webinar is scheduled for 11 a.m. on October 2, though applicants must register for the webinar by September 30.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no place for violence in New Jersey,\u201d Murphy said in a statement this week, \u201cwhich is why we have gone to great lengths to break harmful cycles and ensure our residents feel secure in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. New Jersey\u2019s groundbreaking violence reduction programs have already proven invaluable in our efforts to reduce violence and bolster our prevention framework.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the announcement explains, the CBVI programs use a public-health approach to interrupting cycles of violence, for example through street outreach, mentorship, de-escalation services, safe passage for youth in high-crime areas and individual case management.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the first quarter of 2024, CBVI entities funded by the Department of Law and Public Safety engaged nearly 1,000 individuals in one-on-one programming, including counseling, mentoring, and\/or trauma recovery and support,\u201d the new announcement<\/a> notes. Grant winners during the same period also \u201cspent over 1,200 hours organizing nearly 40 violence prevention events serving hundreds of individuals in their communities \u2013 from neighborhood cookouts to peace walks \u2013 in an effort to help bring individuals and communities together and raise awareness about violence and prevention strategies.\u201d<\/p>\n Platkin said that the state\u2019s \u201cviolence intervention programming is a key part of our approach to reducing violent crime, combatting gun violence, and increasing public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am grateful for the Governor\u2019s support and proud to continue these initiatives to make New Jersey safer for all of its residents,\u201d he said. \u201cThe funding announced today means that we can deepen our investment in the essential work of the grass roots organizations that are breaking cycles of violence and stopping the harm and trauma that comes with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Communities in NJ are safer thanks to our partners running violence intervention programs. With the support of @GovMurphy<\/a>, another $14.5M is now available to support this innovative, evidence-informed work that disrupts cycles of violence. https:\/\/t.co\/Mt1H5rUTe5<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/V6O93eHvFq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Attorney General Matt Platkin (@NewJerseyOAG) September 24, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n One relatively new change to the CBVI program is that grants put \u201ca special emphasis and priority on violence intervention programs known as \u2018tertiary services,\u2019 which are recognized as providing the most immediate benefit in reducing and responding to violence,\u201d it says, later explaining that tertiary services involve identifying \u201cstrategies that attempt to intervene with those already engaged in violent behavior or at high risk of violence due to past victimization or as a result of retaliation.\u201d<\/p>\n Organizations providing tertiary services can receive individual grants of up to $750,000, while other groups can qualify for a maximum of $500,000.<\/p>\n In December of last year, a funding round through the same program distributed $15 million to 29 different CBVI organizations throughout the state<\/a>. Examples of organizations being supported in that round of awards include Alcove Center for Grieving Children and Families, Newark Community Street Team, Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County, Urban Care Foundation, Covenant House New Jersey and Elizabeth Youth Theatre Ensemble.<\/p>\n That same month, Murphy and Platkin announced the recipients of $5.2 million in separate hospital-based violence-intervention grants funded with revenue from state-legal marijuana<\/a>. The two politicians said the money for the New Jersey Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (NJHVIP) would be distributed to 11 recipients in 10 counties.<\/p>\n That program, originally launched in 2020 with federal funds, is now funded through the state\u2019s Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund. All told, the program has spent nearly $45 million in federal and state funding on the hospital-based programs.<\/p>\n New Jersey is among a majority of states with legal cannabis that route at least some portion of revenue toward community reinvestment.<\/p>\n In neighboring New York, for instance, state officials said earlier this month they\u2019re preparing to deploy up to $5 million in grants funded by marijuana tax revenue<\/a> as part of an effort to reinvest in areas disproportionately impacted by the the war on drugs. The state\u2019s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) says the awards aim \u201cto redress a wide range of community needs\u2014from housing to childcare to job skills training and many areas in between.\u201d Under state law, 40 percent of all cannabis tax revenue is earmarked for community reinvestment.<\/p>\n California officials in June, meanwhile, awarded a fresh round of community reinvestment grants to nonprofits and local health departments, funded by marijuana tax revenue. The Governor\u2019s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced the recipients of over $41 million<\/a>\u00a0in awards, the sixth round of cannabis-funded California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) under the state program.<\/p>\n In March, California officials awarded $12 million in marijuana tax-funded grants to cities across the state<\/a>\u00a0to support equity programs for people disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.<\/p>\n And in Illinois last month, officials announced that they\u2019re awarding $35 million in grants to 88 local organizations, using\u00a0funds generated from taxes on adult-use marijuana sales<\/a>\u00a0to support community reinvestment efforts.<\/p>\n The funding is being offered through the state\u2019s Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) Program that was established under Illinois\u2019s 2019 legalization law. It requires 25 percent of cannabis tax revenue to support areas most harmed by the \u201cdisproportionate damaged caused by the war on drugs,\u201d the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) said.<\/p>\n Since launching the R3 program, Illinois has\u00a0awarded over $244 million in marijuana revenue-funded grants to that end<\/a>.<\/p>\n Separately in Massachusetts, after nearly two years of delays, a state social equity fund finally awarded social equity businesses roughly $2.3 million in grant money<\/a> in April.<\/p>\n DeSantis Faces Backlash Over Taxpayer-Funded Ads Claiming Marijuana Legalization Leads To Increased Car Crashes Ahead Of Florida Vote<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis\/Side Pocket Images.<\/em><\/p>\n The post New Jersey Puts Another $14.5 Million Toward Community Violence Prevention, Funded Largely By Marijuana Revenue<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
New Jersey\u2019s governor and attorney general have opened another round of funding for a violence-intervention grant program financed largely by revenue from state-legal marijuana. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin (D) said Tuesday that the newly announced awards, which will funnel $14.5 million to support communityContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77951"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77951"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77951\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77952,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77951\/revisions\/77952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nRead More: New Jersey Puts Another .5 Million Toward Community Violence Prevention, Funded Largely By Marijuana Revenue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"