Fiscal Year 2024 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grantee Abstracts

Auburn University (AL) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 6: Bystander Training; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$638,004 

Auburn University proposes three projects to establish a sustainable framework in East Alabama to prevent targeted violence and terrorism. Through multiple National Threat Evaluation and Reporting courses, foundational knowledge about recognizing and preventing targeted violence and terrorism will be provided to approximately 450 community leaders from law enforcement, K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, healthcare institutions (including mental health professionals), faith-based organizations, and community organizations. DHS-provided bystander training will teach county extension coordinators, community health ambassadors, and other community leaders in 10 rural counties to assist individuals before they move toward violence. This training, presented in cooperation with the Auburn University Rural Health Initiative and Alabama Cooperative Extension System, will reach approximately 850 community leaders in underserved populations. Lastly, the creation of the East Alabama Threat Advisory Committee will provide a multidisciplinary community behavioral threat assessment and management team to support individuals before an act of violence occurs.  
 

Board of Regents, Nevada System of Higher Education (NV) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$519,376 

In response to the active assailant incident on the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) campus on December 6, 2023, there is an immediate need to establish a comprehensive threat assessment plan and program across all Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) institutions. The Nevada System of Higher Education Threat Prevention, Safety, and Awareness Initiative aims to enhance our institutions’ capacities to assess, mitigate, and disrupt threats of violence. Without a structured approach, NV lacks the necessary framework to effectively manage potential threats. The proposed initiative includes collaborative information sharing among NV institutions, creation and training of threat assessment teams, heightened societal engagement, increased public understanding of targeted violence detection and mitigation techniques, and implementation of measures to safeguard the well-being of students, faculty, staff, and visitors.  

 

CenterLink (FL) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$350,000 

CenterLink will equip 350 LGBTQ community-based organizations (CBOs) with prevention education and security resources to raise awareness of targeted violence and terrorism (TVT) in underserved LGBTQ communities. By engaging our active membership of LGBTQ CBOs nationwide, CenterLink will develop awareness-raising material specific to LGBTQ CBO audiences, facilitate educational sessions and security consultations for LGBTQ CBOs’ staff and volunteers, produce a substantial safety and security resource library tailored to LGBTQ CBOs’ unique needs, develop and disseminate culturally specific outreach materials, and implement capacity-building services that equip LGBTQ CBOs to engage and enhance their local TVT prevention networks. This initiative aims to strengthen the capabilities of LGBTQ CBOs to address and prevent targeted violence, ensuring a safer environment for their communities. Additionally, this project will foster collaboration among LGBTQ organizations, enhancing their ability to share best practices and resources, thereby creating a more unified and effective approach to violence prevention. By leveraging the strengths and networks of LGBTQ CBOs, CenterLink aims to build a robust, resilient community capable of addressing and mitigating threats of violence and terrorism.  

 

Colorado Information Analysis Center (CO) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 7: Referral Services 

$427,915  

The Colorado Preventing Targeted Violence (CO-PTV) Program within the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) is a multidisciplinary, whole-of-state, public health-informed approach to preventing all forms of targeted violence within the state. The CO-PTV Program expands the capacity of Colorado to understand and address targeted violence, supports and expands a statewide collaborative ecosystem of targeted violence prevention efforts, and invests in sustainability to increase safety in Colorado long-term. This funding would support a statewide public awareness campaign that enhances the reach of targeted violence prevention resources and reporting mechanisms; standardize processes for targeted violence prevention partners through the development of toolkits and templates for professional partners that can be adapted and utilized in behavioral threat assessment and management work; and expand technical support for the prevention of targeted violence in Colorado. 
 

Dillard University (LA) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content 

$289,920 

Dillard University (DU), Louisiana’s oldest Historically Black College and University (HBCU), proposes the DU Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Program: Intersections of Race, Religion, Social Media, and Violence (DU-TVTP), a collaborative project between the DU Center for Racial Justice and the DU National Center for Black-Jewish Relations. The goal is to provide awareness-raising workshops, community engagement sessions, and training to build awareness, skills, and intervention systems based on risk factors, including pre-incident behavioral indicators. The intended audience includes area PreK-12 and DU students, faculty, staff, community leaders, faith leaders, and law enforcement agencies.  
 

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (KY) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 6: Bystander Training; Type 8: Recidivism Reduction and Reintegration 

$787,369 

School violence has been a critical issue for western Kentucky for generations, but the Heath High School shooting in Paducah brought new focus to school campuses. The Green River Regional Education Cooperative (GRREC) has played an important role training staff to identify potential threats, defuse situations, and provide ongoing training and assistance. Eleven districts in the GRREC service area face significant violent action threat factors, including high rates of chronic absenteeism, violent incidents, and bullying, with responses not seen in other area districts. GRREC proposes a targeted anti-violence program for these 11 districts and their 45 schools. GRREC’s project, REPELS: Risk Elimination and Prevention for Expanded Layers of Safety, aims to improve the situation through program support, training for administrators, expanding Behavioral and Threat Assessment and Management Teams’ (BTAMs) work, addressing bullying, implementing mentoring, and assisting alternative school administrators in reducing violent incidents and recidivism. When these goals are achieved, the community will support violence prevention, more citizens will receive bystander training, schools will make continuous improvements, and key violence indicators will be reduced. 

 

Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (MN) 

Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$106,284 

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Threat Assessment Group (TAG) aims to establish a multidisciplinary team dedicated to preventing targeted acts of violence. Through cooperative sharing of information and training with leading experts in threat assessment, the group will identify, assess, and manage situations where the risk of violence is imminent or anticipated. Formed in response to the need for law enforcement to engage more actively with mental health professionals, school officials, social workers, and probation officers, TAG will operate within the Criminal Intelligence Division. TAG follows best practices established locally and nationally, using information from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. The funding will enhance training, provide credibility, and support outreach to key partners, including HCSO Shield School & Faith-Based Safety and Security Collaborations. The funds will support learning, collaboration, and proven practices through relevant trainings, professional association memberships, and conferences, ultimately contributing to targeted violence prevention efforts.  

 

The Independent Production Fund (NY) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program 

$575,999 

Strengthening Awareness Against Violent Extremism (SAAVE) will raise awareness about the growing dangers of extremist violence by creating and distributing educational content on the deadly targeted attack at the Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, NY on May 14, 2022. The project includes development of a PBS documentary film, violence prevention learning modules, and a local screening campaign. SAAVE will explore the long-term impact on Buffalo’s community, track the perpetrator’s pathway to violence, expose extremist online messaging strategies and recruitment, and reveal missed prevention opportunities. The local screening campaign, developed with local educators, faith group leaders, and impacted community members, will engage 3,820 people in Buffalo and Erie County, NY. The documentary will be distributed to 100 PBS stations through the National Educational Television Association, reaching 500,000 viewers. Partnerships with The Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution Program, the Teaching Black History Conference, and other national organizations will enable distribution of the film and modules to 6,000 educators and civic leaders nationwide.  

 

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction (IN) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 3: Civic Engagement; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program 

$541,201 

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA), will develop a statewide school and community-based comprehensive digital wellness and violence prevention pilot program. This program will use evidence-based, online wellness intervention programming and resources in partnership with the national Half the Story organization. DMHA will also collaborate with the Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Department of Health, and internal DMHA departments (Suicide Prevention team and Indiana’s Disaster Behavioral Health team) to provide resources to targeted rural areas, underserved schools, and high-violence risk communities. The goal is to improve mental health in digital spaces, increase youth resilience, and reduce the risk of targeted violence. Educational materials will be distributed statewide to students, educators, parents, and caregivers to raise awareness and prevent targeted violence in rural and high-risk communities. Additionally, DMHA will work with stakeholders to track and evaluate grant activities, including a formal evaluation by a professional agency. These steps will ensure the pilot program evolves into a sustainable and evidence-based initiative critical to DMHA’s comprehensive School-Based and Community Prevention programming throughout Indiana.

 

Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh (PA) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program 

$260,012 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh will partner with Classrooms Without Borders (CWB), and the Cure for Hate program, to develop an experiential learning curriculum. CWB, an educational non-profit that empowers educators and secondary students to resist antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia, has partnerships with over 120 schools in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia that will facilitate bringing primary prevention programming to a broad audience of students in this region. The Cure for Hate Program counters domestic extremism by targeting adolescents at a crucial stage for identity formation, making them more susceptible to extreme ideologies. At the core of the program is “The Cure for Hate,” a documentary recounting Tony McAleer’s evolution from a neo-Nazi leader to an advocate for compassion. This program offers a distinctive educational experience with a curriculum that complements the documentary and makes McAleer and the film’s director, Peter Hutchison, available to schools and the community. The program empowers both students and educators to navigate conversations on identity, inclusion, antisemitism, and radicalization. By fostering critical reflection on personal and group identities, educators can effectively execute DHS’ goals of building protective factors against radicalization and extremism, while students can develop resilience against such violent ideologies.  
 

North Carolina State University (NC) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 3: Civic Engagement; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 6: Bystander Training 

$655,293 

North Carolina State University (NCSU) has a well-established multidisciplinary behavior assessment team (BAT) whose mission is to prevent incidents of targeted violence. To enhance NCSU’s success, it is essential to strengthen their existing framework. The Wolfpack Behavior Assessment and Threat Management Project will use a public health-informed approach to accomplish eight main priorities: 1) Enhance community awareness on the pathway to violence, indicators of online violent extremism, and available resources; 2) Increase bystander awareness and reporting and response through established programs like the Department of Homeland Security National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Training suite; 3) Enhance community engagement in violence prevention through partnerships; 4) Improve threat assessment and management capabilities with the addition of a specialized position; 5) Implement at least two new strategies following a review of current processes and protocols; 6) Provide expert-led training on threat assessment, violent extremism, and structured professional judgment tools to enhance threat management practices; 7) Offer specialized training for mental health practitioners on targeted violence and online aspects; and 8) Coordinate a symposium for practitioners to enhance statewide partnerships and threat assessment awareness.

 

Oakland Community Health Network (MI) 

Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 6: Bystander Training 

$646,000 

To effectively mitigate threats and reduce targeted violence in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN), Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OSCO), and Oakland County Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OCEM) will expand threat assessment activities through a community threat assessment team (TAT) comprising mental health, law enforcement, and community partners. Oakland County has experienced a significant increase in threats of mass violence, particularly after the shooting at Oxford High School. The TAT will build a continuum of behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) that facilitates collaboration among partners while providing behavioral health services for individuals on a pathway to violence. The TAT will work closely with community and faith-based organizations, behavioral health providers, schools, courts, and other partners to provide training and raise awareness of BTAM. The program design includes BTAM Teams, Raising Societal Awareness, and Bystander Training. Funding will support three full-time staff, community awareness activities, and educational trainings. By fostering collaboration, enhancing awareness, and providing resources for training, prevention, intervention, and treatment, the TAT will contribute to a safer community for all residents.

 

Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians (OK) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 6: Bystander Training 

$384,536 

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians seeks to enhance the safety and resilience of the Native American community in northern Oklahoma by addressing online aspects of targeted violence and terrorism and preventing domestic violent extremism. This project will implement comprehensive prevention programs, including awareness campaigns, education and training, and the establishment of a behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) team. The initiative will focus on reducing online radicalization and hate speech, improving community engagement, and enhancing the capacity to identify and mitigate threats.

 

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (FL) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 6: Bystander Training; Type 7: Referral Services; Type 8: Recidivism Reduction and Reintegration 

$700,000 

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBCSO) proposes a project to enhance its prevention programs and capabilities related to countering terrorism and targeted violence and strengthen domestic terrorism prevention resources and services. By incorporating a criminal intelligence analyst into Palm Beach County’s (PBC’s) School and Community Violence Prevention Project, PBCSO aims to increase community awareness of the signs that someone may be on a pathway to violence and what the threat of targeted violence and terrorism looks like, as well as increase proactive measures to address potential threats of violence. Robust crisis intervention team trainings will be implemented for the PBC law enforcement, correctional, and communication officer staff community to increase the number of local community members who can act on Bystander Training and help individuals before they escalate to violence by understanding the role of, and the means to contact, behavioral threat assessment and management teams. A robust public awareness campaign, outreach, and community education will increase the community’s awareness of the risk factors for and the protective factors against targeted violence and terrorism. Expansion of the Behavioral Services Division, Threat Violence Unit will ensure members of the local community have access to multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment management teams comprised of individuals who can provide support to an individual before an act of violence takes place.

 

Parents for Peace (TN) 

Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 7: Referral Services 

$656,205 

Parents for Peace (P4P) understands that every case of radicalization has a unique, complex pathway, making prevention difficult. P4P relies on intimate bystanders, who are often the first to see signs of change toward violent extremist views and actions. P4P assists intimate bystanders and individuals of concern by offering a free, confidential helpline, support, tools, interventions, and referrals. This proposed project will improve P4P’s support and interventions, while increasing P4P’s capacity for referrals by incorporating screening tools, enhancing the care coordination role, and building P4P’s case management system. Additionally, P4P will standardize and increase the quality of its intervention services by reviewing procedures, enhancing training data, and developing tools for time-tracking, referral taxonomy, and training requirements. P4P’s services, built on eight years of experience, provide value to those seeking help for themselves or loved ones on the path of radicalization. In times of crisis, P4P’s team provides psychoeducation, skills, and connections with law enforcement and external providers to minimize the threat of violent extremism. 

 

Pierce County Department of Emergency Management (WA) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$706,000 

This project will fund the development of a multi-jurisdictional, county-wide domestic terrorism prevention plan, including associated implementation strategies. Strategies include developing threat assessment teams, capability building, and training through workshops and seminars. The plan will enhance regional preparedness to combat domestic violent extremism by ensuring the region has a plan to prevent, prepare for, and respond to acts of domestic violent extremism. County-wide threat assessment and management teams will be implemented across disciplines to prevent the escalation of targeted violence and ensure early intervention for individuals who are exhibiting threatening or concerning behaviors. Pierce County Department of Emergency Management (PCDEM) will provide comprehensive training sessions for educators, mental health professionals, first responders, and community leaders to enhance their ability to identify and respond to targeted violence and domestic terrorism. This project will aid in preventing domestic violent extremism, increase intelligence and information sharing, and educate the public on identifying, preventing, and reporting targeted acts of violence and domestic extremism.

 

The Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of the Rockefeller Institute of Government (NY) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 6: Bystander Training 

$453,818 

The Rockefeller Institute of Government proposes to raise public awareness about the advance warning signs of mass public shootings, including dissemination of violent content by perpetrators, to improve reporting and ultimately prevent these attacks. Public awareness and bystander intervention training will be based on patterns of “leakage” identified through an analysis of completed mass shootings between 1999 to 2023. Leakage refers to the broadcast of intentions of nearly all perpetrators, which is often known to others but not reported. By educating the public on these pre-attack warning behaviors, the project aims to enhance the likelihood of individuals reporting concerns, thereby preventing potential attacks. The project will also provide training and resources to local communities, enabling them to better understand and recognize the signs of potential violence. Ultimately, this initiative aims to create a more informed and vigilant public, capable of contributing to the prevention of mass shootings.  

 

Rhode Island Department of Health (RI) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams

$637,065 

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) will address and prevent future incidents of violence by implementing programming on three levels of prevention: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Funding will establish the Rhode Island Safe Places and People Project (RISPP). RIDOH will leverage existing strategic partnerships with organizations in the state, including other government entities, nonprofits, and community-based organizations. Partnerships will include Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs), the private sector, and community members. RIDOH will utilize DHS funding to provide trainings that raise societal awareness, convene an advisory group in the state, educate the public on nonviolence theory and resources, align with other state initiatives such as the Rhode Island Suicide Prevention State Plan, and leverage other funding streams to support violence and terrorism prevention initiatives. Expected outcomes of the RISPP are the development of a Targeted Violence Prevention State Plan and updated and enhanced Train the Trainer programming to prevent violence in various audiences.  

 

Safe States Alliance (MD) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program 

$265,000 

This project aims to build and implement a public health-informed training curriculum around the shared risk and protective factor (SRPF) framework by focusing on youth resiliency as a protective factor in targeted violence and terrorism prevention (TVTP). Behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams are part of the TVTP network, assessing potential threats of violence in schools and communities. Safe States Alliance proposes to develop, evaluate, and implement a national online training curriculum to teach community-level BTAMs how to apply a public health approach to TVTP and build youth resiliency as a protective factor against future targeted violence. The curriculum will support two TVTP projects: Raising Societal Awareness among BTAMs on the risk and protective factors for individuals on a path to violence and developing protective factors in youth as part of Youth Resilience Programs.

 

School Administrative Unit #18 (NH) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program; Type 6: Bystander Training

$846,386 

Children and youth living in Franklin, N.H., are some of the state’s most vulnerable and face many risk factors that can adversely affect school performance and social-emotional development, as well as contribute to potential for violence. Risk factors include poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, abuse, neglect, substance addiction, parental incarceration, involvement with the Division for Children, Youth and Families and/or Juvenile Justice Services, and violence against people or property. The district’s Office of School Wellness proposes development and implementation of Franklin Safer Schools 2024. This program will provide comprehensive, effective supports that address students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs through a tiered prevention intervention continuum, while improving school climate and safety. The project will address gaps in work to implement systematic prevention, intervention, and youth accountability efforts. It aims to better meet the needs of students affected by violence and break the cycle of violence. It will tap into the collaborative strengths of the school district and community partners to bolster protective measures and mitigate these risks for students. Franklin Safer Schools 2024 will prioritize enhancing the multi-tiered systems of support for behavior and broadening the toolkit to achieve project goals.

 

Southern Illinois University (IL) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 3: Civic Engagement; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program 

$499,446 

This project seeks to empower and motivate high school students in the state of Illinois to prevent targeted violence and domestic terrorism through participation in an expanded and enhanced version of the DHS Invent2Prevent (I2P) program in the state of Illinois. I2P is a nationally recognized youth experiential program that challenges students to design and implement innovative peer developed initiatives and tools aimed at reducing the risk of radicalization to violence. The project is divided into two phases: a pilot phase with five high schools and an expanded phase with 20 high schools for a total of up to 25 high school teams in Illinois. In each phase, participating schools will complete a curriculum that augments societal awareness of risk factors and protective factors and deepens understanding of violent content. Subsequently, teams design, launch, and deploy tailored initiatives aimed at reducing targeted violence and hate crimes in their communities. Each phase will culminate in a daylong summit and competition that will showcase student projects, keynote speakers, and the opportunity to participate in high-impact practices that foster civic engagement and strengthen youth resilience to radicalization to violence.

 

Southern University (LA)

Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams

$350,000

Southern University recognizes the need to develop a comprehensive program to address the rising threat of targeted violence and terrorism on college campuses and beyond. A behavioral threat assessment management (BTAM) team will be established to identify and manage potential risks, drawing on the expertise of existing campus personnel. Over the grant period, all BTAM members will undergo rigorous training and establish protocols, ensuring proficiency in threat assessment and response. Expanding their impact, Southern University plans to share their expertise with other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), offering tailored training to help them establish BTAMs on their own campuses. Milestones will guide the development and dissemination of this training, with success measured by the number of participating institutions and establishment of BTAMs. Southern University will also create a training hub for schools and community organizations, enhancing their understanding and prevention of targeted violence and terrorism. This initiative will provide culturally competent training, with metrics tracking participation and knowledge growth among attendees. By the end of the 24-month period, Southern University will empower numerous institutions with the skills and knowledge necessary to address targeted violence and terrorism.

 

Southwest Texas Fusion Center (TX) 

Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$344,982.66 

The Southwest Texas Fusion Center (SWTFC) created a three-tier behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) team, recognized nationally for innovation and best practices. The FY24 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant will assist in expanding BTAM team services in preventing targeted violence and terrorism. The BTAM will expand from the current 13 counties to the entire Southwest Region area of responsibility (AOR), covering 42 counties. The State of Texas mandated School District Threat Assessment Teams that now work directly with the SWTFC BTAM team to prevent terrorism within the school districts in the Southwest Region AOR. Many neighboring counties do not have robust BTAM practices and seek support from the SWTFC. The BTAM team has successfully assessed, mitigated, and managed 1,076 persons of concern since inception, ranging from assessment advice for stakeholders to mitigating and managing persons of concern through the criminal justice system.

 

State of Hawai’i Office of Homeland Security (HI) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 2: Understanding Violent Content; Type 3: Civic Engagement; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 6: Bystander Training; Type 7: Referral Services; Type 8: Recidivism Reduction and Reintegration 

$803,330 

In 2024, the State of Hawai’i Office of Homeland Security (OHS) completed the nation’s first-ever targeted violence prevention implementation plan. The plan is designed to complement the OHS’s Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Program (TVTP) by outlining an achievable framework for accomplishing the goals outlined in the comprehensive statewide Targeted Violence Prevention (TVP) Strategy published in 2022. OHS also aims to lay the framework for extending TVP best practices, training, and resources to the U.S. territory of Guam. While the territory has detailed plans for terrorist attacks and weapons of mass destruction events and offers active shooter training, a plan for preventative measures related to targeted violence does not exist. Strengthening this aspect of their territory-wide security helps ensure the preparedness of the Pacific region against potential TVP activities. By creating standards for intervention, training, and community engagement through its implementation plan, OHS hopes to set the benchmark and roadmap for entities nationwide regarding TVP efforts. This project was selected based on merit criteria and geographic diversity, with the first ever TVTP Grant Program project activities in Guam. 

 

The State University of New York Buffalo (NY) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams; Type 6: Bystander Training 

$370,452 

Behavioral health professionals (BHPs), including social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and others, are engaged in targeted violence and terrorism prevention (TVTP), ranging from primary prevention (e.g., addressing community risk and protective factors) to tertiary prevention (e.g., rehabilitation of radicalized individuals). There are significant gaps in knowledge that underlie existing trainings designed to help BHPs engage in TVTP. These include a lack of knowledge about what BHPs currently know and do in their professional practices. This program will address these knowledge gaps in two separate projects. The first project involves a two-stage needs assessment of New York State BHPs: 1) awareness-building focus groups and 2) a statewide online survey to assess current TVTP knowledge and practice and perceived training needs. The second project will develop and pilot test online trainings with a sample of NYS BHPs. This program aims to raise societal awareness, increase civic engagement, and improve bystander capacity among NYS BHPs.

 

Trustees of Indiana University (IN) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness 

$174,420 

Research shows that health professionals need the knowledge and skills to navigate challenges when patients are at high risk of engaging in violence (e.g., safety planning, controlling firearm access, potential for escalation, need for social resources). Through the Indiana Area Health Education Center Violence Prevention Program, award funding will be used to train at least 135 health profession students annually to increase their awareness of violence prevalence in rural and underserved communities, knowledge of risk and protective factors, and preparedness to collaborate in community-based violence prevention efforts. Students from an interprofessional cohort of health profession trainees will complete online training that focuses on violence awareness and violence prevention. Modules will outline the prevalence of violence, risk and protective factors, communication strategies utilizing motivational interviewing techniques, and collaboration with community stakeholders (law enforcement, community partners, health services) to prevent community-based violence.

 

University of Southern Maine (ME) 

Type 6: Bystander Training; Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$403,501 

This project merges bystander training and behavioral threat assessment into an integrated initiative for enhancing campus safety and mental health awareness. The comprehensive program aims to empower the entire university community to recognize early warning signs of individuals on pathways to potential violence or distress, intervene effectively, and proactively address threats through a behavioral threat assessment management (BTAM) team. Core training modules will cover verbal de-escalation techniques, active bystander strategies, crisis intervention, and mental health first aid, ensuring individuals are referred appropriately. The BTAM team, comprising campus police, mental health professionals, and academic staff, will also be trained in online threat assessment and response. By leveraging existing resources and expanding student, staff, and faculty involvement, the project aims to maximize impact while minimizing costs. This integrated approach fosters a culture of safety and support, enhancing campus resilience against acts of targeted violence and terrorism.

 

Weber-Morgan Health Department (UT) 

Type 1: Raising Societal Awareness; Type 3: Civic Engagement; Type 4: Youth Resilience Program 

$325,000 

The Weber-Morgan Health Department (WMHD) will educate and train families and community members on the pathway to violence and risk and protective factors associated with violence to raise awareness of the potential for a mass casualty event in the local area. This will be achieved by developing and implementing an awareness campaign focusing on mental health management, bullying prevention, bystander approaches to violence prevention, and how to spot the signs of escalation toward violence. WMHD will also promote civic engagement through the awareness campaign and associated events, such as launching a countywide Mass Violence Prevention Day and collaborating with a diverse group of community partners, to bridge the gap between underserved communities and those vulnerable to violence. Additionally, WMHD will address youth resiliency through programming that targets emotional regulation skills, coping with trauma, establishing support systems, being an upstander against bullying, and increasing the capacity of the local school district to offer programming addressing mental health and social-emotional skills.

 

Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Service Board (OH) 

Type 5: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams 

$398,917.00  

The Wood County Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (WCBTAM) expansion project is a multidisciplinary group representing schools, criminal justice, and mental health providers collaborating with the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Service (WCADAMHS) Board staff to decrease acts of targeted or self-violence in two pilot schools in Northwest Ohio. The WCBTAM expansion project will use lessons learned to develop a community-based behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) team for Wood County residents, the first of its kind in Ohio. Primary activities include expanding school-based BTAM teams to multidisciplinary teams, creating a community-based BTAM team, and adding a system navigator to oversee these teams. The WCBTAM outputs will be provided to the Ohio Department of Homeland Security and Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services to support the development of multidisciplinary BTAM teams statewide. Additionally, WCADAMHS will share lessons learned, data, and outcomes from the BTAM work in Wood County with providers and law enforcement countywide, continuing to support DHS’s vision of expanding BTAM access. 
 

Arlington County (VA)

$785,000

Communities must change their philosophy on active violence events from a likely, or even inevitable occurrence, to one that can be prevented through disrupting the pathway to violence. Violence prevention and interdiction is not, and cannot be, a passive process. It requires a strong and overt commitment by community organizations through a whole-of-community approach to prioritize community safety and care for those in need to prevent violent escalation. Arlington County seeks to create a community-wide behavioral threat assessment and case management program. This whole-of-community program will be a multidisciplinary, multiagency initiative to create a community-wide assistance and support culture where people who are identified to be in need or crisis can be provided with an assortment of appropriate aid and resources in an effort to disrupt the potential pathway to violence. The initiative will enhance collaboration and synergistically expand expertise among the current siloed preventive initiatives that exist among county departments and agencies that serve the community.

 

Boston Children’s Hospital (MA)

$858,087

Youth at risk for targeted violence and terrorism (TVT) are a unique population that present with complex and often overlapping issues and challenges and are served by service systems specific to juveniles. Responding to TVT risk within this population requires a developmental perspective, an understanding of unique needs by age and intersectional diagnoses or issues, and integration of specific service systems that serve youth. The overall goal of the project is to raise the standard of care for youth at risk for TVT, in the service of preventing TVT. 

 

Elizabeth City State University (NC)

$451,878

Extremist and terrorist groups exploit college campuses for identification, recruitment, and membership maintenance. Given the influential nature of young, impressionable minds, this phenomenon isn’t surprising. To counter these activities effectively, Elizabeth City State University proposes an Innovation track project to enhance awareness of radicalization and recruitment practices. By conducting surveys and focus groups, Elizabeth City State University will gather data to inform the design of mitigation materials and training curricula. The project’s goal is to contribute to the collective mitigation of extremist and terrorist radicalization and recruitment of students in higher education. This effort will 1) Increase understanding of the extent of radicalization and recruitment by extremist and terrorist organizations on IHE campuses; 2) Create shareable strategies and materials to help mitigate the effects of radicalization and recruitment efforts on IHE campuses by extremist and terrorist groups; and 3) Design and pilot sustainable and replicable training for awareness and countering radicalization and recruitment on IHE campuses by extremists and terrorist groups.

 

Eradicate Hate (PA)

$962,704

The Prevention Practitioners Network (PPN) of the Eradicate Hate Global Summit (EHGS) proposes the Technical Help and Resources for Interventions against Violent Extremism (THRIVE) program. THRIVE aims to professionalize and expand the field of targeted violence and terrorism prevention by providing dedicated assistance to TVTP providers through specialized workshops and support. This initiative is critical for enhancing the overall effectiveness and efficiency of prevention efforts in the United States. THRIVE’s four major goals are: 1) Streamline efforts of practitioners in their process of enhancing efficiency and ensure compliance with civil rights and civil liberties; 2) Improve access to resources and technical assistance, fostering a deeper understanding of targeted violence and terrorism prevention strategies; 3) Enhance the preparedness of TVTP practitioners through equitable access to essential training and resources; and 4) Augment the evidence base for TVTP activities through rigorous evaluation and reporting. These goals support the TVTP objectives by promoting community awareness of violence pathways, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and providing comprehensive support structures that are crucial for developing effective prevention initiatives. Through strategic partnerships and a commitment to data-driven approaches, THRIVE is poised to make a significant impact in the field of violence prevention, offering a sustainable model for interventions across the U.S. 

 

Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Strong Cities Network (DC)

$670,321

The Strong Cities Network, in partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC), will pilot a “Prevention Academy” for mayors, city councilmembers, and senior city officials from small- and mid-sized cities, particularly those with underserved communities. The program will help local leaders and governments unleash their potential in preventing targeted violence, terrorism, and related challenges by helping Academy beneficiaries better understand and identify the threats, needs, and vulnerabilities in their cities to help them operationalize a public health approach to prevent and respond to identified threats. City leaders and officials from small- and mid-sized cities increasingly recognize that they have an important role to play alongside federal and state counterparts in prevention and incident response. However, many feel under-equipped to tackle these issues systematically due to a lack of city-focused targeted violence and terrorism prevention (TVTP) trainings and resources tailored to their needs. The Academy will consist of a year-long course that includes 10 monthly (mostly virtual) trainings, supplemented with technical support to advance participating cities’ TVTP efforts and two in-person convenings dedicated to mayors and council members. Over the project’s two-year implementation period, 20-30 cities will take part (10-15 cities per year). To ensure scalability, the modules will be recorded and made available to other interested cities, including via the Strong Cities Resource Hub and NLC Resource Library; lessons from this effort will also be shared with Strong Cities’ 230+ and NLC’s 2,700+ city members. 

 

University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Center for Emergency Preparedness & Response Solutions (NE)

$515,579

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare and social services fields experience the highest rates of violent injuries in workplaces. Since COVID-19 began, violence against hospital employees has increased significantly. This project will create a sustainable Healthcare Behavioral Threat Assessment Management (HcBTAM) program for healthcare emergency managers (HcEM). The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Center for Preparedness & Emergency Response Solutions will work with the Association of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Professionals (AHEPP) and the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center to create a sustainable BTAM model for HcEMs to use in hospitals, hospital systems, and communities. The five goals of the proposed program are: 1) Develop a HcBTAM training program specific to healthcare emergency managers; 2) Pilot test the HcBTAM training with 15 to 30 healthcare emergency managers from across the U.S.; 3) Form a collaborative network for HcBTAM professionals that supplements the existing Association of Threat Assessment Professionals network; 4) Review and revise the AHEPP Professional Standards to include healthcare-based violence prevention; and 5) Create a sustainable model of support for HcBTAM professionals.