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ICJI > Youth Services > Safe Haven School Program Safe Haven School Program

Overview

Indiana has long had a commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment in our state's schools. The Indiana Safe School fund was established as part of Indiana's commitment to making local schools safer. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute was charged with administering and overseeing the implementation of the fund. Pursuant to Indiana Code 5-2-10.1, the Safe Schools Fund was established to:

Promote school safety through the:

  • Purchase of equipment for the detection of firearms and other weapons;
  • Use of dogs trained to detect firearms, drugs, explosives, and illegal substances; and
  • Purchase of other equipment and materials used to enhance the safety of schools.

Combat truancy

  • Provide matching grants to schools for school safe haven programs;
  • Provide grants for school safety and safety plans; and
  • Provide educational outreach and training to school personnel concerning identification, prevention and intervention strategies associated with bullying.

The goals of the Safe Haven Grant are:

  • To afford students and staff professional development opportunities to develop the skills and strategies necessary to prevent violent and potentially violent situations.
  • To enable schools to identify and acquire the programs and resources necessary to implement research-based models and proven practices for curriculum, policies, procedures and instruction.
  • To assist schools in creating a physical environment that fosters the safety and well-being of students and staff within the school campus.

A safe school provides a physical and social environment in which students are able to learn and achieve to their fullest capacity. A safe school environment also enables educators, administrators and other staff to support students in that pursuit without violence, the threat of violence or other safety concerns. To accomplish these goals, schools must assess their risk factors, needs, local resources and existing efforts and strategies.

2013-2014 Safe Haven Information

At this time, a solicitation has not been released for the Safe Haven grant. Information is forthcoming. Please subscribe to receive notification of the announcement through Egrants by clicking here. Be sure to register at least two emails in the event that the announcement is released after the current school year ends.

2012-2013 Safe Haven RFP & Applicant Information

2012-2013 Grant Documents

Safe Haven Applicant Resources

Funding Source: State funding (I.C. 5-2-10.1)
CFDA Number: N/A
Contact: Stephanie Edwards
(317) 234-4387
(317)232-4979 (fax)

Funding Cycle: Safe Haven grants are awarded every year with applications due on May 18, 2012. Safe Haven is a ten (10) month grant with the running period of August 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013.

Eligible Applicants:
Only Indiana Public School Corporations are eligible to apply.

Application Procedure:
Each of Indiana's school corporations are eligible to apply for a Safe Haven grant on a yearly basis. Applications are distributed via email to the Superintendent's office of each corporation and are available on the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute website.

Match Information:
In general, matching funds would include funds that are spent on any school program that is currently in place and not being funded by Safe Haven funds, but would qualify to be funded by Safe Haven funds.

This would include any program that, at a minimum:

  • Has the school open to students of the school before and after normal operating hours, preferably from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., on days determined by the school corporation; and;
  • Operates according to a plan to do the following:
    • Reduce alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse;
    • Reduce violent behavior; and
    • Promote educational progress in the school.

  • PROGRAMMATIC MATCH
    A programmatic match details a program in your corporation that meets the same guidelines as the Safe Haven program, but is not/will not be funded by the Safe Haven Program. Be sure that this programmatic match costs the equivalent of or more than the amount you are requesting for your Safe Haven program. Example: Community School Corporation has an anti-drug program for its elementary schools that operates from 3:00-6:00 p.m. and is run by the YMCA of Greater Community Impact County and is entirely supported by private funds. This School Corporation would match Safe Haven funds by showing the budget of costs for their anti-drug program in the amount equivalent to the amount they are requesting from Safe Haven funds. If Community School Corporation is applying for funds that will be used for evidence-based programs, they will need to have a program within their school corporation that meets the Safe Haven guidelines but is not funded by Safe Haven. This program would have to be equal or more than what Community School Corporation is asking for.
  • CASH MATCH
    Cash is simply any financial amount that the school corporation provides themselves or that is donated by another source.
  • IN-KIND MATCH
    In-kind match is determined by the value of goods and services received and used in the program that do not have a financial cost to the subgrantee. This type of match can be provided by the subgrantee or donated by a third party, such as a volunteer, public or private agency. For example, time donated by a counselor could be used as in-kind match. The value of these services should be calculated at the average market value of that service at the time of the service was provided.

Restrictions:
Public School Corporations are the only eligible applicants.

Program Objective:
The intent of the Safe Haven Education Program is to ensure that Indiana Schools are safe and free from violence and drugs.

Selection Criteria:
Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to accurately assess their needs utilizing current local data and submitting a proposal that links those needs to the proposed strategies that best address their prioritized needs. Interested applicants may apply for a matching grant through the Safe Haven Program based on the direction of its school corporation.

Award Procedure:
Grant applications are reviewed by the Youth Division and of the ICJI Board of Trustees. Upon review and approval by the ICJI Board of Trustees programs are awarded grant funds and written award notifications are sent out.

Examples of Funded Programs:
• Evidence-Based Programs- Development and implementation of violence prevention activities and materials; education of students and parents regarding the dangers of guns and other weapons and the consequences of their use; development and implementation of curricula to prevent violence in schools
• Training- Of school personnel of demonstrated effectiveness in addressing violence; evidence-based school activities designed to promote school safety, and reduce or prevent violence and discipline problems.
• School Resource Officers- Reimbursement of law enforcement authorities for their personnel who participate in school violence prevention/reduction activities.

Partners:
Indiana Department of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can agencies or organizations other than school corporations apply for Safe Haven grants?
A. No. By law, only public school corporations are eligible to apply for and receive Safe Haven grants, but many school corporations partner with local agencies and organizations to provide Safe Haven programs and services. For example, a school corporation may partner with a local law enforcement agency to help offset the cost of personnel for police officers to work on-site at the high school or other school buildings.

Q. How can I find out if school corporations in my county are receiving Safe Haven funding?
A. You can contact the Safe Haven Program Coordinator at 317-232-1233 to obtain a listing of school corporations receiving Safe Haven funding during a given school year.

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