Congresswoman Susie Lee Announces More than $3 Million in Grant Funding for Nevada to Fight Gun Violence and Support Mental Health

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced that $3 million in funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is coming to Nevada to combat gun violence and support mental health initiatives. Congresswoman Lee helped to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, following a string of mass shootings, including the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

The funding announced today will increase public safety by providing resources for state agencies, local agencies, and communities to address gun violence and assist those experiencing mental health crises. Nevada continues to lag far behind the rest of the nation in most health indicators related to mental health. Children and adults in Nevada experience a higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care. With mental health as a catalyst for some gun violence, this funding can be used to increase services for those at risk and in crisis.

"Our nation is once again reeling as we watched yet another mass shooting unfold – this time on a college campus," said Congresswoman Lee. "As a mother to a recent college graduate and a high school senior going off to college next year, the news coming out of Michigan State hits close to home. This fight is personal. We must do everything in our power to end the scourge of gun violence. That's why I was proud to help pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year – the first significant gun safety legislation signed into law in three decades. This legislation is going to save lives, and I'm so glad to see this funding going to Nevada, where we so desperately need to address the dual crises of gun violence and mental health."

Congresswoman Lee has long been a champion of mental health, and introduced bipartisan legislation last Congress to extend and expand the Mental Health Awareness Training Grant program. Following her efforts, the program was reauthorized in December 2023, allowing for critical resources to continue to reach individuals and communities struggling with mental health crises.

The award announced today comes as part of a broader announcement by the Department's Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to provide funding to states for the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection order programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction initiatives. Extreme risk protection order programs empower family members, health care providers, school officials and law enforcement officers to petition a court to temporarily prevent a person from accessing firearms if they are found to be a danger to themselves or others. Funds can also support interventions like drug, mental health and veterans' treatment courts, gun violence recovery courts, behavior health deflection and outpatient treatment centers.

You can read more about the funding announced by the Department of Justice here.

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