Advocates Gather for Community Safety Day on the Hill
Written by Rosemary Volinski, Program Specialist, Municipal Collaboration
May 1, 2024 - More than 50 youth, violence prevention leaders, law enforcement, and legislators gathered at the Massachusetts State House for the annual Community Safety Day on the Hill event in support of the Senator Charles E. Shannon Community Safety Initiative (Shannon CSI) and the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI).
The Shannon CSI Grant Program is funded by the Legislature through their annual state budget appropriation and is administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research. The Shannon CSI supports regional and multi-disciplinary approaches to youth violence intervention, prevention, enforcement, prosecution, and reintegration services to bridge gaps across and within communities. The initiative is designed to serve youth and emerging adults ages 10-24 to help them achieve positive life outcomes. The SSYI is also funded by the Legislature through their annual state budget appropriation and is administered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. SSYI utilizes a comprehensive public health approach to outreach, engagement, case management, and service delivery to increase positive outcomes for adolescents and young adults ages 17-24.
The event was emceed by Representative Adrian Madaro, who offered welcoming remarks. Opening remarks were given by the Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy, and Senator Sal DiDomenico, who both voiced their support for the Shannon CSI and SSYI programs. The Shannon Statewide Research Partner’s Executive Director, Ben Struhl, presented and highlighted the Shannon CSI program data and the recently published 2023 site briefs to emphasize the impact of the program statewide. The Superintendent of the Lowel Police Department, Greg Hudon, and Teen Empowerment’s Shannon participant, Eliseo Fuentes, provided reflections on their experiences with the Shannon CSI programs and the impact it has made in their work and on their lives.
The Community Safety Day is an advocacy event that helps to uplift and secure additional funding for Shannon CSI and SSYI programs, which work to reduce violence against youth across the Commonwealth. The event served as an opportunity to hear directly from legislators, the statewide research partner, law enforcement partners, and Shannon participants about the importance of funding these critical programs.
As the Metro Mayors Shannon CSI site, MAPC supports 20 partners across nine metropolitan Boston communities to coordinate their activities and bridge communication gaps between youth, law enforcement, and violence prevention leaders, enabling them to properly identify and address youth violence and gang activity. Various types of activities are supported by Shannon CSI Grant funding, including directed hotspot patrols, after school programs, job training, and mental health counseling.
The Shannon CSI Grant was established in 2006, when the Metro Mayors Coalition worked with the Legislature to allocate funding to combat youth violence, gang violence, and substance use through regional, multi-disciplinary efforts. The program is nationally recognized for its effective approach to deterring gang and youth violence through targeted enforcement and prevention strategies.