Sponsors (31)
Introduced June 12, 2025 by Jahana Hayes · Last progress June 12, 2025
The bill directs modest federal funding to expand trauma-informed, school-based violence-prevention and mental-health supports—prioritizing high-need and tribal schools and generating data for policymakers—while increasing federal spending, narrowing focus away from some community-based approaches, risking exclusion of certain communities under the eligibility rules, and requiring administrative/evaluation overhead that can reduce direct service dollars.
Students at highest risk of gun violence gain access to evidence-based, trauma-informed school programs that aim to prevent violence and support healing.
Funding is targeted to high-need areas, including Bureau of Indian Education schools, improving equity in resources for violence prevention in historically underserved communities.
Teachers and school staff receive professional development and expanded access to trauma support and mental-health services, increasing school capacity to respond to student needs.
The program authorizes $25 million per year in new federal spending, modestly increasing the federal budget and raising potential concerns about fiscal priorities or the need for offsets.
Narrowing the statutory focus to school-based programs may limit funding and attention for non-school community violence interventions that also prevent gun violence.
Eligibility criteria tied to high local homicide or arrest rates could exclude communities with rising but shorter-term or differently measured violence problems from receiving grants.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates an HHS grant program (with Education consultation) to fund school-based, evidence-based, culturally competent violence-prevention programs targeting youth at high risk for gun violence, including BIE schools.
Authorizes a new federal grant program to help schools establish or expand comprehensive, school-based violence-prevention programs that focus on youth at highest risk of involvement in gun violence. Grants, administered by HHS in consultation with the Department of Education, may fund evidence-based, culturally competent, trauma-informed K–12 programs (including Bureau of Indian Education schools), technical assistance, community partnerships, staff professional development, and required data collection and reporting.