Office of Community Wellness and Safety warns key violence-interruption programs face funding cliff in 2026

The Office of Community Wellness and Safety warned the Finance & Personnel Committee on Oct. 10 that several contracted community violence‑interruption teams and city‑supported outreach workers will lose funding in 2026 unless the city identifies new resources.

Director Adam Purcell said the office—s current resources are far smaller than the scale of the problem. He told the committee he is mapping 33 initiatives and the staff, subcontractors, funding sources and performance metrics for each so the council and administration can prioritize. Purcell said the office currently supports 24 part‑time "promise keepers," seven CVI teams, and an eight‑member critical response team; he said those roles are central to de‑escalation and community outreach but that the contract terms and grant timelines mean the city risks losing most or all of those…