Hawaii 2022-2023 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Grant

The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division (CPJAD), will establish a Firearm Crisis Intervention Advisory Board (Board) that will consist of representatives from law enforcement, the community, courts, prosecution, behavioral health providers, victim services, and legal counsel.  CPJAD will provide administrative support to the Board to ensure that a state program and spending plan (Plan) for the use of the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) funds is developed in coordination with and approved by the Board.  The Plan will be submitted to U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for review and approval before SCIP program funds are spent. As required under SCIP, $578,333 (40% of the amount available for Hawaii program activities/cost), must be passed-through to local governments (city, county, town).  The subgrant award process and timeline, and a description of the programs to be funded over the 4-year grant will be included in the Plan.  It is anticipated that the Plan will be completed in mid to late 2023.

Hawaii’s Plan will be contingent on a landscape report identifying ‘What is the Extent of Gun Violence in Hawaii’, and ‘Efforts to Reduce and/or Prevent Gun Violence’; and a determination whether the State’s Gun Violence Protective Orders meets the SCIP mandatory requirements for Extreme Risk Protection Order Program.  A landscape of the State, County, and Federal issues, needs, and available resources to reduce and/or prevent gun violence and those practices to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves, or others will be organized and analyzed.  Currently, information related to gun violence and prevention is scattered across various policies, reports, formal and informal groups, and State and local agencies.  In the next 3-9 months, CPJAD will use in-house resources to conduct a search of available information and analyze the information.

The purpose of SCIP funds is to support state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives, including but not limited to extreme risk protection order (ERPO) programs (if Hawaii meets the mandatory requirements) that work to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others, mental health courts, drug courts, and veteran courts; and behavioral health deflection, and gun safety programs or initiatives.