October 19th, 2018 by WCBC Radio
– As part of Governor Larry Hogan’s commitment to make Maryland safer, the Hogan Administration today announced approximately $4 million in funding from the Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (VIPP), a new Maryland bipartisan initiative aimed primarily at reducing gun violence.
The VIPP program, which passed during the 2018 legislative session of the General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Hogan, supports violence-reduction strategies through evidence-based and/or evidence-informed health programs. Evidence-based health programs are developed and evaluated through scientific research and data collection which use public health principles that demonstrate measurable positive outcomes. Evidence-informed health programs are programs, approaches, or initiatives that are based on public health principles and capable of being studied and evaluated through research and data collection.
“Protecting our citizens is our most important responsibility, and our administration will use every resource possible to keep Marylanders safe,” said Governor Hogan. “This program is one of a number of outcome-based initiatives aimed at preventing crime with the ultimate goal of reducing violence in our state.”
Awards were made to the following entities:
- Baltimore City — Mayor's Office on Criminal Justice, $2,725,000
- University of Maryland Medical System Foundation, $345,486
- Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Inc., $107,799
- Reaching the Unreachable, Inc., $94,120
- Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County, Inc., $40,100
- University of Maryland Prince George's Hospital Center (Dimensions Health Corporation), $546,851
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center to serve Maryland residents who reside or work in the Washington Metropolitan area, $95,500
“These grants were awarded based on applications received and the amounts requested,” said V. Glenn Fueston, Jr., Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, which is administering the grant. “Governor Hogan has made it very clear that, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, he wants crime prevention programs that make good use of hard-earned dollars and are effective at reducing crime.”
In addition to signing VIPP legislation this year, Governor Hogan also signed initiatives that impose stricter sentences for repeat violent offenders and people who commit crimes with a gun, along with a separate bill that keeps firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill and those with violent criminal backgrounds.
