About the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP)

About the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP)

The OFVP's mission is to address the statewide public health emergency that is firearm violence through increased community capacity to (1) address root causes of violence (2) provide those most at-risk access to evidence-based and trauma-informed services and (3) advance equity and racial justice.

Our vision for this future is that every community, every neighborhood, every home in Illinois will be free from violence.

Administration

Assistant Secretary Christopher Patterson

Send an email to the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention

Partners

• UIC Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement (IPCE)
• Department of Healthcare and Family Services - Violence Prevention Community Support Team (VP-CST) is a new service added to the Medicaid Community-Based Behavioral Health Services array effective May 1, 2022. VP-CST is intended to reduce traumatic stress symptoms and increase community functioning for individuals who have experienced chronic exposure to firearm violence using evidence-informed, trauma-specific interventions and techniques.
  • Violence Prevention Community Support Team Webinar Slides
  • Violence Prevention Community Support Team Webinar Recording 
  • HFS Proposed Rulemaking on Violence Prevention Community Support Team
• RPSA Conveners/ Community Groups
• Technical Assistance

Become Eligible to Apply for RPSA Grants

Community-based organizations can apply for grants to implement evidence-based solutions to interrupt and prevent firearm violence.

All applicants must be GATA prequalified. Learn more about through the IDHS GATA App. For questions, send an email to the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention.

RPSA Local Advisory Councils

The Reimagine Public Safety Act requires OFVP to convene Local Advisory Councils (LAC) in each of the RPSA designated service areas. Each local council will make recommendations to the OFVP on how to allocate violence prevention resources based on information provided by the OFVP, local law enforcement and other available data. More information on the LACs.

• RPSA Local Advisory Council Summer 2022 Recommendations
• Greater Illinois Funding Strategy

Firearm Violence Research Group

The OFVP's Firearm Violence Research Group's (FVRG) supports OFVP in identifying outcome measures for RPSA funded programs, along with inform on metrics and data collection practices that best measure impact at a community level. The FVRG was created as result of the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69), comprised of recommended research experts experienced in examining data trends related to firearm violence prevention and interpreting these trends to identify effective interventions that support impacted communities. More information on the FVRG.

Apply to be an RPSA External Grant Reviewer

IDHS is seeking experienced state grant reviewers to ensure a reflective, robust, and comprehensive provider selection process. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer grant reviewer, please see our announcement Seeking Experienced State Grant Reviewers and complete our Reimagine Public Safety Act Grant Reviewer Interest Survey.

Posted and Closed RPSA Funding Opportunities

For a list of previously posted and closed RPSA funding opportunities, please visit the Firearm Violence Prevention Grant (FY22) Information page and the Firearm Violence Prevention Grants - FY 2023 page.