S 2203119th CongressIn Committee

Break the Cycle of Violence Act

Introduced: Jun 28, 2025

Civil Rights & Justice

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act would create a multi-agency, federally funded effort aimed at reducing community violence—especially gun violence—through community-based interventions and workforce development. The bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award 4-year grants to eligible community organizations and local governments to implement coordinated violence intervention programs. It would establish an Office of Community Violence Intervention within HHS, an advisory committee, and a National Community Violence Response Center to oversee guidance, capacity building, data collection, and research. In addition, the bill authorizes a separate set of grants under the Department of Labor (DoL) to help “opportunity youth” — ages 16-24 not in school or employed — gain job training and pathways to in-demand occupations in violence-affected communities. The funding is substantial and front-loaded, with annual appropriations rising through 2033. The bill emphasizes trauma-informed, culturally competent approaches that aim to reduce violence without increasing mass incarceration. It prioritizes strategies such as violence outreach, hospital-based interventions, group violence interruption, and crisis mediation, while also tying grantee performance to measurable safety and economic outcomes. It also creates accountability mechanisms and data infrastructure to track progress, disseminate best practices, and inform future policy.

Key Points

1Establishment and funding framework
2- Creates the Office of Community Violence Intervention within HHS and a National Community Violence Response Center to support grantees, set standards, collect data, and coordinate research.
3- Establishes a Community Violence Intervention Advisory Committee to guide grant solicitations, select grantees, and help form the National Center.
4- Authorizes large, multi-year appropriations: $300 million (2026), $500 million (2027), and $700 million per year (2028-2033) for Title I activities; paired with $1.5 billion for DoL IMPACT grants (2026-2033).
5Grant program for violence intervention (Title I, Sec. 101)
6- Eligible grantees: community-based nonprofits serving residents in an eligible local government area, or an eligible unit of local government itself.
7- Use of funds: implement coordinated, evidence-informed violence intervention initiatives focused on high-risk individuals with trauma-responsive, wraparound supports; emphasize economic opportunity and non-incarceration strategies.
8- Pass-through requirements: local governments must pass at least 75% of grant funds to community organizations or non-law enforcement public agencies; hospitals must pass at least 90% to direct services or staff.
9- Duration and scale: 4-year grants with funding levels based on need and scope.
10- Matching and federal share: generally 90% federal share, with exceptions for certain grantees (some may receive up to 100% federal share if a waiver is granted); supplement-not-supplant requirement.
11- Prioritization: grants favored for those most likely to reduce violence without increasing mass incarceration.
12- Oversight and evaluation: includes reserved funds for supplemental incentives and for intensive site implementation support and independent evaluation; data collection and reporting requirements.
13National capacity, data, and research (Title I, Secs. 102-104)
14- 5% of Title I funds reserved for administrative expenses of the Office.
15- The Center will develop a 4-tier taxonomy to assess grantee readiness and provide tailored technical assistance; collect data on safety, health, youth engagement, economic development, and recidivism.
16- Establishes a Research Advisory Council to coordinate research, track federal spending, identify gaps, and guide evidence-building.
17- Biennial conference for grantees and providers; post-conference reports to Congress and public.
18- Annual Congress reporting on violence trends and Center/Office activities; plans for capacity building and dissemination of best practices.
19Victim services and sense of Congress (Title I, Sec. 105)
20- States that community-based violence interventions help victims and reduce reinjury and retaliation; highlights disproportionate impact on people of color.
21- Encourages use of Crime Victims Fund for victim services in high-risk communities.
22Workforce development for opportunity youth (Title II, Sec. 201)
23- DoL IMPACT grants to fund year-round job training and pathways to in-demand occupations for opportunity youth in gun-violence–affected areas.
24- Eligible grantees include community-based organizations, tribes, apprenticeship programs, community colleges, or eligible local governments; emphasis on basic skills and soft skills for meaningful employment.
25- Grantees must report on entry into education/training/apprenticeship and changes in enrollment, unemployment, or weekly earnings.
26- Definitions: “basic skills deficient” and “in-demand occupation” have specific federal meanings drawn from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
27- Authorization of appropriations: $1.5 billion for 2026-2033, available through 2033.
28Definitions and scope
29- Community violence excludes politically motivated violence.
30- “Eligible unit of local government” includes jurisdictions with high homicide counts or rates or other demonstrated need.
31- “Opportunity youth” defined as ages 16-24 not enrolled in school or employed.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Communities with high levels of gun violence, particularly youth and people of color in urban and similar settings.- Opportunity youth (ages 16-24) in gun-violence–impacted areas who participate in job training and education programs.- Community-based organizations, hospitals, and local governments delivering violence intervention services.Secondary group/area affected- Victims and survivors of violence, including those at high risk of reinjury or retaliation.- Workforce development partners, apprenticeships, colleges, and training providers involved in IMPACT programs.- Researchers and federal agencies that fund or conduct violence prevention research.Additional impacts- Data-driven policy: creation of a national data and research framework to measure safety, health, economic opportunity, and recidivism; dissemination of best practices.- Economic: aims to reduce the human and economic costs of violence while increasing employment and education opportunities for youth.- Legal/criminal justice: emphasis on interrupting violence without contributing to mass incarceration; collaboration among community groups, service providers, and public agencies rather than relying primarily on law enforcement.- National capacity: builds a formal federal infrastructure (Office, Advisory Committee, National Center) to coordinate, fund, evaluate, and scale community violence interventions across states and localities.Trauma-informed: a care approach that recognizes the impact of trauma and integrates knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices to avoid re-traumatization.Wraparound services: a coordinated package of supports (housing, employment, education, health, legal aid, counseling, etc.) tailored to an individual’s needs.Mass incarceration: policies or practices that lead to disproportionately high numbers of people being incarcerated, often criticized in violence-reduction debates for relying on punishment rather than prevention.Opportunity youth: young people aged 16-24 who are not in school and not employed.In-demand occupations: jobs identified as growing or needing skilled workers, as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

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