Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Grants

The Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Grants for Specialty Courts and Dockets is administered by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to support the development and enhancement of specialty court programs across the Commonwealth of Virginia. This initiative is funded through the federal Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. The program is designed to strengthen community safety and reduce violence by improving court-based interventions for individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders, or other crisis-related conditions. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to enhance program capacity, improve acceptance rates, and increase graduation outcomes for specialty dockets such as recovery courts, behavioral health dockets, and veterans treatment courts. Applicants are encouraged to focus on planning, implementing, or expanding these specialty court programs through evidence-based practices. Funding may be used to support staff training, curriculum development, treatment resources, and other programmatic needs that contribute to improved participant outcomes. While personnel costs may be included, the hiring of full-time staff is discouraged due to the relatively short grant period. The grant offers multiple pathways depending on the applicant’s stage of development. Planning and implementation grants provide localities with time to build interdisciplinary teams, receive training from the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and develop a formal specialty docket application. Implementation and enhancement grants are intended for jurisdictions that have already completed planning and are ready to launch or expand existing programs. These funds may be used to increase participant capacity or broaden treatment services offered within established specialty dockets. Eligible applicants are limited to local units of government within Virginia. Applicants must meet several federal and state requirements, including maintaining an active System for Award Management registration and Unique Entity Identifier, complying with Virginia Best Practice Standards, and demonstrating the use of evidence-based treatment services. A critical application requirement is the submission of a letter of support from the Office of the Executive Secretary, Specialty Dockets Division. Additional compliance obligations include adherence to federal grant regulations, civil rights requirements, and ongoing data reporting through designated systems. Applications must be submitted through the Online Grants Management System and include multiple components such as a project narrative, goals and objectives, budget documentation, and required certifications. The review process is competitive and evaluates proposals based on clarity, demonstrated need, program design, sustainability, and cost effectiveness. Each application is scored on a 100-point scale, with emphasis placed on the project narrative, goals and objectives, and budget justification. Award decisions are made by the Criminal Justice Services Board, with final approval required from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The grant period runs from July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, totaling 15 months, and extensions are not permitted. Approximately $5.99 million in total funding is anticipated, with a minimum award request of $50,000. There is no matching requirement, although applicants must document any additional funding sources. Applications are due by April 21, 2026 at 12:00 PM, and late submissions will not be accepted. Technical assistance is available through designated DCJS staff, and optional training webinars are offered to support applicants through the submission process.

Focus on clear demonstration of need, strong program design, and alignment with evidence-based practices; ensure all reporting and compliance requirements are addressed; provide detailed and justified budget aligned with allowable costs