The HAVI Applauds Passage of FY26 Appropriations Bill Supporting Violence Intervention

Legislation includes critical investments in hospital-based and community violence intervention strategies 

January 21, 2026 — The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention applauds the passage of H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. This legislation includes critical investments in hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) and other community violence intervention (CVI) strategies, including $50 million for the Community Based-Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) as well as $40 million in direct support for violence intervention and prevention work.   

In response to the bill’s passage, the HAVI issued the following statement from Executive Director Fatimah Loren Dreier:  

“At a time when firearm violence has reached record reductions across the country, this legislation arrives at a pivotal moment. Lawmakers could have accepted the status quo or committed to further investment in proven violence reduction strategies. With this bill, Congress demonstrated a strong bipartisan commitment to continuing health- and community-based violence reduction strategies. This legislation will not only save lives but will help revitalize communities hit hardest by gun violence.” 

“It is critical that we invest in innovative, evidence-based public health interventions that deploy credible messengers to reach those who are most impacted and provide access to the mental health care and social and economic opportunities they need to thrive. Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) and other community violence intervention (CVI) strategies are effective ways to provide victims of gun violence who are at elevated risk for future violence with the care, support, and access to opportunity they need to transform their lives. Grounded in health principles, these strategies focus on mitigating the impact of risk factors and strengthening protective factors to reduce exposure to violence and its effects.” 

The HAVI has been a staunch advocate in the development of federal funding for CVI strategies. The HAVI’s 2021 federal funding plan, “Forging a New Era: The American Community Violence Prevention Fund,” laid the groundwork for the creation of the CVIPI fund, which has subsequently received congressional funding every year since its creation. 

The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) is the only national organization that fosters a network of hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs), which help victims of community violence heal and break the cycle of violence. The HAVI also works to shift the narrative about violence and trauma in communities of color, collaborates with other CVI leaders to develop a vision for the CVI ecosystem, engages in advocacy to reshape the funding landscape, and supports innovations in research.