The Connecticut Department of Public Health is funding 33 organizations statewide to prevent gun violence.
Groups operating in and around Bridgeport, Hartford, New London, New Haven, Stamford and Waterbury are set to receive $3.1 million to pay for mentoring and afterschool programs, hospital-based violence intervention programs and street outreach. The goal is to identify root causes of gun violence, build trust with the community and intervene before violence occurs.
The state will distribute the money through agreements with five of the cities, and with the Ledge Light Health District, which will focus on the New London area.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis, and addressing it requires the same coordinated, community-driven approach we use for any public health threat,” DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said in a statement. “These agreements put resources directly into the hands of the communities and organizations that know their neighborhoods best.”
Connecticut had the sixth lowest gun death rate in the country in 2023 according to data from Johns Hopkins University. But firearms were the third leading cause of death in the 1-17 age group from 2019 to 2023. Overall, the gun death rate increased by 24% from 2014 to 2023.
Recipients of the DPH grants are engaged in an array of violence-prevention initiatives.
The local Police Athletic League in Waterbury will use the grant money to provide recreational and educational activities to youth, as well as emergency services for victims of violence.
In the Stamford area, Hoops4All will provide life skills, conflict resolution and leadership development sessions.
In the Hartford region, the Justice Education Center will host weekly midnight basketball games. An organization called the AASAASKA Foundation will provide apprenticeships in urban farming and beekeeping.
COMPASS Youth Collaborative will offer case management, mental health services and career preparation to gunshot victims.
Another organization, 4-CT, will offer direct cash assistance to victims of violence.
“Recipients have used these funds to secure housing, cover lost wages, reconnect with family, and build the stability and peace of mind needed to move forward,” said Sarah Blanton, CEO of 4-CT. “Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also shows that reducing financial stress can lower the risk of violence and suicide.”
Blanton said that 4-CT recently signed a $104,000 contract with the city of Waterbury and a $40,000 contract with the city of New Haven for DPH grant funding, and is awaiting a contract with the city of Hartford.
The organization currently works in Hartford through the Connecticut Children’s Violence Intervention Program. Its direct cash payments have been used as a tool to support families impacted by violence in Hartford for years now, Blanton said.
