The Office of Safer Communities (OSC), created by the 2023 Appropriation Act, leads statewide initiatives and funding opportunities to reduce violence, promote public safety, and address the root causes of community violence. OSC provides support to address the needs of communities impacted by violent crime through the promotion of evidence-based interventions, strategic coordination, and data-driven performance metrics. Additionally, OSC serves as Virginia's resource for vetted research and best practices for community-based violence intervention.
Responsibilities
OSC is responsible for:
- Providing grantees with technical assistance for capacity building, planning, and sustainability;
- Serving as a resource for research and best practices for community-based violence intervention and prevention programs; and
- Issuing grant solicitations from funds, including the Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention (FVIP) Grant Fund and the Safer Communities Program Fund.
Staff
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Laurel Marks
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OSC Manager | (804) 786-3462 | laurel.marks@dcjs.virginia.gov |
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McKenzie Anderson
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Resource & Communications Specialist | (804) 963-0071 | mckenzie.anderson@dcjs.virginia.gov |
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Chad Felts
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Capacity Building & Sustainability Coordinator | (804) 965-4427 | chad.felts@dcjs.virginia.gov |
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Jennifer Quitiquit
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OSC Research & Programs Analyst | (804) 363-6027 | jennifer.quitiquit@dcjs.virginia.gov |
FVIP grants support many important community-centered projects in neighborhoods across Virginia, including street outreach, violence interruption, mentorship, employment skill building, and positive youth development. These violence intervention and prevention programs address interpersonal violence by working with a wide range of community stakeholders to provide support and intervention to those at risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of violence.
The Safer Communities Program provides funding to support holistic, community-based strategies that address the root causes of community violence through a multidisciplinary approach. Such strategies include after-school programs and mentorships, educational and economic opportunities, mental health care, credible messengers and violence interrupters, and strategies to build trust between law enforcement and community stakeholders. The Virginia General Assembly selected the following localities to receive Safer Communities Program funding: Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Roanoke.