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H.R. 3968: School Violence Prevention Act

The bill, known as the School Violence Prevention Act, aims to create a comprehensive school-based violence prevention program focused on helping youth at the highest risk of gun violence. Here are the key elements of the bill:

Establishment of Violence Prevention Programs

The bill authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, to provide grants to eligible entities for the establishment or expansion of violence prevention programs in schools. The focus is on students from kindergarten through 12th grade and young people under 19 years of age.

Grant Utilization

Grants awarded under this bill can be used for various activities, including:

Implementing evidence-based violence prevention programs aimed at reducing gun violence.
Providing technical assistance to local educational and community-based nonprofit organizations on developing these programs.
Facilitating community partnerships between youth, families, schools, businesses, and agencies.
Supporting professional development to enhance mental health services and trauma support for teachers and school leaders.
Collecting data to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs.

Eligibility for Grants

To qualify for grants, applicants must be partnerships that include:

A state educational agency coordinating with local educational agencies located in communities affected by high rates of violence.
Local community-based nonprofit organizations that serve young people and their families.

Geographical Distribution and Duration of Grants

The bill ensures that funds are distributed fairly across different regions of the United States. Grants are awarded for a duration of five years, with the possibility of renewal.

Evaluation and Reporting

To assess the effectiveness of the programs funded by these grants, the Secretary will develop an evaluation process, including:

Guidelines for grantees to submit data regarding their programs.
Measures of outcomes to evaluate the programs' impacts on students and communities.
Regular reports to Congress on the results of these programs and recommendations for future initiatives.

Evaluation results will also be made publicly available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Funding

The bill authorizes the appropriation of $25 million for each fiscal year from 2025 through 2031 to finance these efforts. Grant recipients may use a portion of these funds for evaluation activities to measure the success of their programs.