Funding awarded to 12 organizations that divert Kentuckians from the justice system and support crisis intervention
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 11, 2025) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear awarded more than $1.3 million in federal grant funding to 12 organizations through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program to increase public safety in the commonwealth.
“Team Kentucky is committed to building a safer New Kentucky Home for all our people and it’s an honor to support partners across the state who work with us to meet this goal,” Gov. Beshear said. “Together, we will continue to build on the progress already made as we use this grant funding to make a meaningful difference in the safety of our people and our communities.”
The State Crisis Intervention Advisory Board adopted five program areas for priority funding: court programs and court-based diversion programs; behavioral health initiatives and crisis response; community crisis intervention and co-responder programs and training; suicide prevention initiatives, particularly those related to veterans and youth; and education and public awareness campaigns and gun safety device distribution.
Gov. Beshear recognized recipients of this year’s funding, including:
- Western Kentucky University has been awarded $158,000 to implement and evaluate CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) training for 140 social work students and 100 licensed clinicians from LifeSkills and Pennyroyal Center, supporting personnel costs for a graduate research assistant, project coordinator and project director, as well as contractual training and necessary operating expenses.
- Hope Center Inc., has been awarded $137,000 to hire a full-time behavioral health clinician and a full-time case manager to deliver suicide prevention services – including screening and assessment for suicide risk, substance use disorder, serious mental illness and co-occurring disorder – and behavioral health and case management services to 200 adults, including Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and who are at risk of suicide.
- The city of Somerset has been awarded $82,500 to provide funding to hire a full-time mental health professional with the Somerset Police Department who will actively work with those in crisis by coordinating efforts among stakeholders in Pulaski County.
- Maryhurst has been awarded $76,000 to support Renewal, a community-based program in Jefferson County that provides individuals and families with behavioral and mental health therapies in school, home and community settings to reduce rates of violence and suicide.
- The Fayette County Board of Education has been awarded $43,900 to implement an evidence-based school violence and gang prevention program in 16 elementary schools.
“Our continued collaboration is what helps us create a safer commonwealth for all our people,” said Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson. “Any time we can support organizations who are providing services and support directly to our people, we will support them.”
For a full list of subrecipients, click here.
The Beshear-Coleman administration’s top priority is the safety of all Kentuckians. The Governor's public safety actions are creating safer communities and a better Kentucky.
Protecting the commonwealth’s schools are a top priority of Team Kentucky. In August, the Governor announced that 1,315 Kentucky public schools are following statutory safety requirements required by the School Safety and Resiliency Act and that the number of school resource officers protecting schools has increased more than 100% since he took office.
Since Gov. Beshear took office, fewer Kentuckians have returned to prison after their release. In February, it was announced that nearly 70% of those released from state custody have not returned.
The 2024 Crime in Kentucky report, released in June, shows that, from 2023 to 2024, there was an overall decrease of 7.66% in reports of serious crime.
For three straight years, overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky. In 2024, the commonwealth saw 30.2% fewer overdose deaths than the year prior. Gov. Beshear continued this progress earlier this month by scheduling 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as a Schedule I narcotic, making it illegal to sell, possess or distribute any isolated or concentrated forms of 7-OH in the state.
In June, 21 officers graduated from the first basic training class from the Western Kentucky Law Enforcement Training Facility. For the first time, Kentucky is simultaneously offering training in two locations. DOCJT will train officers in a building provided by the Madisonville Police Department while Team Kentucky constructs a $50 million multipurpose training facility in Madisonville.
In April, Gov. Beshear officially opened the doors to the new law enforcement training facility named in honor of Jody Cash, who lost his life in the line of duty. The facility is designed for officers to learn intensive and specialized training that will support all of Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies.
Since taking office, Gov. Beshear has awarded nearly $12 million in grant funding to assist state and local law enforcement agencies with enhancing public and officer safety, curbing the sale of illegal drugs and fighting addiction.
Since taking office, the Beshear-Coleman administration has awarded more than $162 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth. Gov. Beshear has also signed legislation to make sexual extortion a felony and strengthened statutory language to include other forms of abuse and sexual exploitation of minors.
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