Overview
Edward R. Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP)
Byrne SCIP 2022-23 Program Plan
Introduction
On June 25, 2022, President Joe Biden signed The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, following passage by Congress, which contains provisions including preventing and reducing gun violence, saving lives, and keeping guns out of dangerous hands. Additionally, the federal act establishes the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP) for which the United States Department of Justice (US DOJ) is authorized to release funds to states. Byrne SCIP funds the creation and/or implementation of extreme risk protection order (ERPO) programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction programs and initiatives.
The Office of Policy and Management Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division (OPM CJPPD) serves as the State Administering Agency (SAA) for Connecticut’s federal SCIP funds. OPM CJPPD developed a program and budget plan in coordination with members of Connecticut’s active, statutorily established Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission (CJPAC). CJPAC fulfills the US DOJ requirements and is performing the required Byrne SCIP advisory functions.
OPM CJPPD expects to follow a similar process to the one used while administering Byrne JAG program funding. Grant announcements will be created for each program area in the Byrne SCIP Program Plan that invite interested parties to prepare proposals for projects to use available funds. Please note, OPM CJPPD must obtain prior approval for all subawards from US DOJ before OPM will execute a grant award.
Connecticut’s Red Flag Law
Connecticut has been a national leader with respect to risk warrant policy since 1999, when it became the first state to enact a law (Public Act 19-212) creating a process to prevent someone who is at immediate risk of causing personal injury to themselves or another person from possessing firearms. In the years that followed, the risk warrant process not only helped save the lives of other people but also prevented suicides.
By 2021, with 19 other states enacting red flag laws of their own, Connecticut state policymakers moved to update their statutes by passing legislation (Public Act 21-67) later signed into law by Governor Lamont. The law allows police officers or prosecutors to apply for a risk protection order to prohibit a person from acquiring or possessing firearms, other deadly weapons, or ammunition. Additionally, the law expands the original red flag law in several ways to strengthen Connecticut’s risk warrant and risk protection order policy to prevent tragedies before they happen.
Crisis Intervention Advisory Board
The US DOJ requires state administering agencies to assign oversight of Byrne SCIP programs and initiatives to a crisis intervention advisory board. Per US DOJ guidance, the board, which may be existing or new, must contain representatives from law enforcement, the community, courts, prosecution, behavioral health providers, victim services, and legal counsel. Connecticut’s active, statutorily established Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission fulfills the US DOJ requirements and is performing the required Byrne SCIP advisory functions.
Beginning prior to release of the Byrne SCIP solicitation, OPM CJPPD staff began briefing CJPAC members on information gathered regarding the grant program. OPM CJPPD staff are currently preparing a program and budget plan, a draft of which will be presented to CJPAC. The plans also will be posted on this webpage for public comment.
Byrne SCIP State and Local Programs
Like the federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (Byrne JAG), which also is administered by OPM CJPPD, Byrne SCIP state allocations are formula-based and divided into two categories. First, the state administering agency must pass through a percentage of funds to local governments. Second, another percentage is available for state-level discretionary programs, under Byrne SCIP for implementing state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives.
Byrne SCIP Program Areas
The program and budget plan OPM CJPPD Is preparing to bring before CJPAC is expected, like those developed for Byrne JAG, to contain: program areas consistent with federally allowable expenses, eligible for funding under the Byrne SCIP program, informed by input from stakeholders, and driven by data analysis. When completed, the Byrne SCIP program areas will be added to this webpage.
Statutory Authority
Bipartisan Safer Communities Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. No. 117-159, 136 Stat. 1313, 1339); 28 U.S.C. 530C.
The
Office of Policy and Management, Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division
makes grant awards under this program in accordance with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. No. 117-159, 136 Stat. 1313, 1339); 28 U.S.C.
530C, and in accordance with the grant solicitation
and DOJ guidelines.
Federal
grant awards have conditions that govern the use of funds under that grant
award. OPM CJPPD attaches all Federal, General, and Special conditions to each
grant award. If another copy of the conditions is needed, please reach out to
OPM CJPPD for a copy of the special conditions relevant to a specific
award.