Wisconsin Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) is the State Administering Agency for the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) grant. Wisconsin DOJ will hire new staff to administer this initiative which aims to reduce gun violence in Wisconsin.  In 2023, DOJ will hire staff, appoint new members to an existing body to meet the membership requirements of the Crisis Intervention Advisory Board (CIAB), and engage in research on what programming exists in Wisconsin to combat gun violence and enhance mental health services. While a formal gun violence evaluation is being completed, the BJP staff hired for this program will conduct extensive research on existing programs, gaps in behavioral health and court-based programs, and will build partnerships with organizations and agencies working on reducing gun violence and increasing access to mental health services.

Beginning in 2023, the CIAB will meet several times for presentations from Wisconsin DOJ staff and other partners about data on gun violence in the state, current applicable and funding-eligible program models in Wisconsin, and gaps in program models that could be funded to achieve the goals of this initiative. Ultimately, the CIAB will create a Program Plan and set funding priorities for DOJ to administer subgrants.

Wisconsin does not have an Extreme Risk Protection Order law so the funding will be focused primarily on research around gun violence in Wisconsin and then on behavioral health deflection, court-based programs, and related training or outreach programs. Wisconsin State Statute Chapter 51.20 is the law most applicable to firearm seizure. This law was updated in 2022 and there could be opportunity to conduct education on new provisions in the law for criminal justice system partners and the public.

Wisconsin DOJ will follow its existing grants administration procedures in order to complete all federal grant work and subgrant administration.  Specific subgrantees are unknown at this time as they will be selected a later date with the Bureau of Justice Assistance approval.