Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Invests More Than $570K in School Safety

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the award of more than $570,000 to 14 Massachusetts school districts to bolster school safety and enhance violence prevention efforts. The federal funding supports the development and operation of school threat assessments and crisis intervention teams.

The Student, Teachers and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program is funded through the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. The grant is managed and administered in Massachusetts by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), a state agency that is part of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Every agency that applied for a grant received funding. In total, $570,465 in grant funds were awarded to school districts, charter schools and educational collaboratives.

“Massachusetts remains deeply committed to working with our partners across state and local agencies to ensure our schools offer a safe and healthy learning environment for our children and educators. These grants will provide the resources that school officials need to enhance safety and mitigate potential threats,” said Governor Maura Healey.

“These grants underscore our dedication to providing students with a safe setting to learn and grow that is free from fear and anxiety. The STOP School Violence grants help school officials to develop a violence prevention program designed to detect vulnerabilities and act before a tragedy occurs,” said Lt. Governor Kimberley Driscoll.

Grant recipients will use their awards to conduct threat assessments and deploy crisis intervention teams. Both tactics within their larger safety strategy will strive to identify threats before they materialize, which may include threats from individuals with mental health issues, and to train students, school personnel, and local first responders to become partners in preventing school violence.

“Preventative security measures, including risk prediction and intervention strategies, are fundamental to keeping schools safe and protecting students and educators from harm.  The STOP School Violence Grant Program is part of the Commonwealth’s comprehensive approach to school safety that allows our youth to thrive while providing our Massachusetts families with peace of mind,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy.

“We’re best able to ensure safe schools through partnerships between schools, first responders, and other stakeholders. I’m proud of my team for their work helping create and strengthen these vital partnerships. These grants are just one of the initiatives led by the Office of Grants and Research that support the safety of our youth and communities,” said OGR Executive Director Kevin Stanton.

The following school districts received STOP School Violence grants:

###