SNUG Street Outreach Grants Awarded to Community-Based Organizations and Trauma Centers With Individuals Who Are Credible Messengers and Work With At-Risk Individuals
Shooting Incidents With Injury Reached an All-Time Low in Communities Participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative
Governor’s FY26 Budget Continues Unprecedented Support for Crime Prevention Initiatives in Communities That Report Roughly 90% of Violent Crimes With Firearms, 85% of Violent Crimes Outside of New York City
Governor Kathy Hochul announced $20.7 million to support SNUG Street Outreach programs that work to reduce gun violence and save lives in 14 communities across New York State. These grants to community-based organizations and hospitals fund outreach workers, hospital responders, social workers and case managers who are credible messengers and work with individuals at risk of gun violence, connecting them with support and services to change behavior and increase opportunities. Last week, Governor Hochul announced that shooting incidents with injury reported in communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence initiative reached record lows in 2024 with 588 incidents reported compared to 817 in 2023, a 28 percent reduction. The Governor’s FY26 Executive Budget continues unprecedented support for SNUG, Gun Involved Violence and other initiatives in communities that report 90 percent of violent crimes with firearms and 85 percent of violent crimes outside of New York City.
“Public safety is my number one priority — that’s why my Budget invests in proven initiatives like the SNUG program to drive down gun violence, save lives and keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “Outreach teams across the State are working alongside law enforcement and local partners to target gun violence anywhere it occurs, and to engage stakeholders in a comprehensive approach that makes our communities safer for all.”
New York State’s SNUG program uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting transmission and treating individuals, families and communities affected by the violence. Administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, SNUG, Gun Involved Violence (GIVE) initiative, the State’s nationally recognized Crime Analysis Centers Network and Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) are key components of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive plan to address the causes and consequences of gun violence and other crimes.
The $20.7 million will fund staff, programs, services, equipment and technology for the SNUG locations during the 2025 calendar year. Community-based organizations and hospitals receive the funding, which supports 181 full-time and 39 part-time employees who work in specific neighborhoods in Albany, the Bronx, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mt. Vernon, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Syracuse, Rochester, Troy, Utica, Wyandanch and Yonkers. DCJS tracks shooting data in these “SNUG zones” and last year, those zones collectively reported significant, double-digit decreases in shooting victims, individuals killed by gun violence and shooting incidents with injury when compared to 2023.
SNUG outreach workers, social workers, case managers and hospital responders work in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by gun violence, and the program also embeds social workers and hospital responders at Level One trauma centers in Albany, Buffalo, the Bronx, Rochester and Syracuse. These professionals work with individuals and families in the aftermath of a violent incident to offer support, services and connect them to the SNUG program in their communities for additional assistance.
SNUG staff are credible messengers who live in the communities in which they work, and some have been involved with the criminal justice system or lost loved ones to violence. They work with teens and young adults to detect and defuse disputes before they escalate; respond to shootings to prevent retaliation through mediation and assist family members of those who have been injured or killed; and mentor youth involved with the program to set goals and connect them with educational and job opportunities as well as other services. The programs also engage the community, religious organizations and clergy, and local businesses by sponsoring anti-violence marches, job fairs, block parties, sporting events and other community gatherings.
The following organizations and hospitals will receive funding and support from DCJS to administer SNUG:
New York City and Long Island
- Bronx – Jacobi Medical Center: $2,702,617
- Hempstead – Family and Children’s Association: $1,164,397
- Wyandanch – Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk: $746,522
Hudson Valley
- Mt. Vernon – Family Services of Westchester: $1,088,391
- Newburgh – Regional Economic Community Action Plan: $896,799
- Poughkeepsie – Family Services Inc.: $1,076,245
- Yonkers – Yonkers YMCA: $1,010,259
Capital Region
- Albany – Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region: $1,820,329 and Albany Medical Center: $262,310
- Troy – Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region: $860,134
Central New York
- Syracuse – Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility: $1,820,189 and SUNY Upstate Medical Center: $464,374
Mohawk Valley
- Utica – Integrated Community Alternatives Network: $792,673
Finger Lakes
- Rochester – PathStone Corp.: $1,949,426 and Rochester General Hospital: $571,002
Western New York
- Buffalo – Erie County Medical Center: $2,800,915
- Niagara Falls – Community Missions of Niagara Frontier: $ 677,170
Comprehensive training, site visits and support from DCJS set SNUG apart from other community-based violence interruption programs across the state and country. New staff must complete 40 hours of training and new supervisors complete 32 hours of management training. All staff must also complete 40 hours of professional development training annually. This ongoing training and support help ensure that the program operates consistently across all SNUG sites despite being operated by different community-based organizations and hospitals.
State Senator Jamaal Bailey said, “Investing $20.7 million in SNUG to enhance efforts such as preventing gun violence, supporting at-risk individuals, and strengthening communities across New York State is essential. SNUG has been a pivotal partner in preventing gun violence and an organization that has significantly impacted my district, and will continue to do so as Mt. Vernon – Family Services of Westchester is receiving $1,088,391. By funding outreach workers, social workers, and hospital responders, future conflicts can de-escalate and create safer neighborhoods and brighter futures for all of us. Thank you to Governor Hochul for your leadership and prioritizing the safety of our community.”
EDITOR'S NOTE : State Senator Bailey's district also covers a large section of the Bronx, which he has no comment about the huge amount of gun violence in the Bronx and his district in the Bronx.
No comments:
Post a Comment