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The state is allocating $5.2 million in cannabis tax funds to 11 facilities across 10 counties to further support New Jersey’s hospital-based violence intervention program.
In a Dec. 15 press release announcing the latest round of funding for the three-year-old program, Gov. Phil Murphy said, “Meeting survivors of violence where they are during such a critical time of their healing journey is essential to their well-being. The New Jersey Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program is a crucial resource to address both the mental and physical ramifications of violence in our communities, providing a light at the end of the tunnel when it is needed most.”
Initially funded through the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), the program provides financial support to partnerships between hospitals and community-based entities so they can offer services to assist crime victims. Overseen by the Department of Law and Public Safety’s Office of Violence Intervention and Prevention, the program links victims with therapy, mentorship and other social services designed to encourage recovery and prevent them from retaliating against their attackers.
Resources for the program are now drawn from the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Fund, which aims to reinvest in the communities most impacted by cannabis criminalization.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin said the innovative program “has shown the benefits of interrupting cycles of violence at the hospital bedside” and is “how we forge a path to healing and greater safety.”
“Thanks to Gov. Murphy, the funding we are announcing today demonstrates the clear commitment to continuing our public health approach to public safety, supporting our community partners, and providing victims of violent crime critical services at a time of crisis,” he said.
To date, the Murphy administration has allocated more than $45 million in federal and state funding for the program. The newly announced cycle will support the initiative through Dec. 31, 2024.
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