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Portsmouth United outlines Safer Communities plan: $1.6 million to community partners, app and expansion of outreach staff
Summary
Portsmouth United staff told the task force they have allocated $1.6 million to community-based organizations from the Safer Communities grant, are developing a mobile app and website, plan to expand violence interruption staff, and will fund crisis stabilization support up to $3,500 per case.
Portsmouth United, the city-supported hub running Portsmouth’s Safer Communities work, presented program goals and early results to the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force on Feb. 20. Miss Matthews (Portsmouth United program lead) said the program has allocated $1,600,000 — more than half of the city’s Safer Communities award — to community-based organizations to provide mentorship, case management, credible-messenger services and after-school programs.
“We allocated $1,600,000 … those funds went to our community organizations that are already doing the work,” Miss Matthews said, describing the city’s decision to direct a majority of grant dollars to local partners.
Matthews said Portsmouth United is expanding street outreach and violence interruption work. She said the program currently employs two violence interrupters and has a goal to hire six additional interrupters. Training will include cognitive behavioral techniques and motivational interviewing so interrupters can provide light case management and help people accept referrals to services.
Matthews described a planned “call-in” program and a weekly shooting-review meeting that will convene law enforcement analysts and community partners to develop targeted, custom plans. She emphasized that call-in programs must be adapted to local conditions: “Just because it worked in 1 city does not mean it'll work in our city,” she said.
Portsmouth United said it is developing a website and mobile app intended as a single portal for referrals, resource information and incident reporting. Matthews said the app procurement is in the bidding stage with two of three required bids received and that she has a prototype of the user experience.
The program will provide crisis stabilization support through community partners, Matthews said, including up to $3,500 for general needs such as relocation, emergency hotel stays and safety-related expenses; she reported that Portsmouth United has helped stabilize several families since Nov. 24. Virginia Commonwealth University will provide data analysis and evaluation services as part of the Safer Communities program; Matthews said VCU will conduct a virtual meeting with staff and a site visit, expected in March.
Matthews asked the task force to help publicize Portsmouth United and to participate in weekly Thursday meetings to stay informed. Councilman Hugo and the city manager briefed the task force on plans to build an integrated plan to address systemic drivers of violence; they said the city has released an RFP for a consultant to help the task force build an actionable plan and expects a consultant onboard by April.
Task force members discussed next steps including targeting summer youth programming to neighborhoods identified in a recent heat map and partnering with local businesses, PRHA and civic leagues to expand meaningful summer employment for teens. The city manager said any budgetary commitments require a fully developed plan and that now is the time to surface budget ideas for the coming fiscal cycle.
Matthews closed by noting the Portsmouth United SharePoint site is active, that ride-along forms are available, and that a joint meeting is planned for June 9.
