HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) announced $1 million in grant funding to conduct a needs assessment and identify gaps in support for Pennsylvanians who are victims of gun violence. This initiative was spearheaded by Lt. Governor Austin Davis.
“Every Pennsylvanian – no matter what they look like, what zip code they live in – should have the freedom to be safe and feel safe in their community,” said Davis. “As chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, I have charged the commission and their Victims Services Advisory Committee with making sure we leave no community behind, that we leave no victim behind.”
“Every victim of a mass shooting, every family member who has lost a loved one to gun violence, and every single Pennsylvanian touched by this epidemic should receive the support and services to which they’re entitled. That’s what this initiative is about, and I’m grateful to Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Dwight Evans for inspiring this new effort to help gun violence victims heal,” Davis added.
Back in June, Davis and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey and Rep. Dwight Evans announced the new initiative to help and support the victims of gun violence.
Starting Tuesday, PCCD’s Victims Services Advisory Committee (VSAC) is soliciting grant applications for the new Resources for Gun Violence Victims Needs Assessment and Technical Assistance (TA) Initiative.
The objectives of this, as quoted in the release, are the following.
- Conducting a comprehensive needs assessment to understand the experiences and needs of gun violence victims and victim assistance professionals
- Designing and launching a pilot strategy to establish a centralized “one-stop shop” for victims and communities impacted by gun violence, modeled after a resiliency center approach response to mass violence incidents
- Providing gun violence victims/survivors and community members access to resources to address the long-term impacts of gun violence
For more information about the committee and other PCCD gun violence-related initiatives, click here.