We’ve made a lot of progress reducing rates of gun violence in our cities because of direct investments in violence prevention efforts.     Whether it’s the local Y, summer camps, public libraries or Boys & Girls Clubs, organizations across Pennsylvania are working to keep kids safe all year round and provide them with opportunities for success. State investment is critical, and we must keep it going.

I got my start in public service because of an incident of gun violence on my block over 15 years ago. Stephan, like so many others, has also joined this movement to advocate for solutions that reduce violence – and we’re finally starting to see progress.     It’s always been an uphill battle, but as more young people join this work and get involved, we’ll continue to effect change and reduce the violence that has left too many scars in our communities.

Police Athletic Leagues have a crucial role to play in reducing crime and building community trust. Through state programs like VIP and BOOST, we’ve seen these leagues grow and expand their capacity to work with the neighborhoods and keep people safe.

Wednesday, the @GovernorShapiro @LGAustinDavis Admin approved more than $21M in state and federal funding to support programs that make communities safer, strengthen victim services, reduce youth violence, and expand access to treatment and recovery resources. These investments will support: ✔ Child victims of abuse and trauma ✔ Victims of #GunViolence ✔ #YouthViolence and delinquency prevention programs ✔ Substance use education and treatment initiatives ✔ Community-based prevention efforts across Pennsylvania Every dollar approved today represents an investment in people, families, and communities throughout the Commonwealth. Read more about these major investments: pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroo…

Yesterday, PCCD staff wore orange in recognition of Gun Violence Awareness Month and Wear Orange Weekend. Together, we honor the lives lost to gun violence, support survivors and families impacted by violence, and reaffirm our commitment to prevention. ICYMI: Last week, PCCD's Office of Gun Violence Prevention launched the first in a series of regional listening sessions, bringing together community leaders, victim service providers, law enforcement, youth-serving organizations, behavioral health professionals, and others to discuss what's working and what more can be done to reduce gun violence across the Commonwealth. These conversations are helping shape Pennsylvania's continued efforts to address: ▪ Community violence ▪ Youth gun involvement ▪ Firearm suicide prevention ▪ Domestic violence and gun violence Learn more about the listening sessions and Pennsylvania's gun violence prevention efforts: pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroo… #WearOrange #GunViolenceAwarenessMonth #PennsylvaniaCommunitySafety #GunViolencePrevention

New data from the 2025 Pennsylvania Youth Survey found that 12% of students reported spending four or more hours gaming on a normal school day. The survey also found over 6% reported gambling through video games or online gaming. (2/3)

Christian is absolutely right. By addressing gun violence through investments in youth organizations and community groups, we’re seeing rates of gun violence drop across our cities.     But there’s still more work to do to keep these trends on track and keep people safe.

Over the weekend, Pennsylvania recognized the lives impacted by gun violence and the communities working every day to prevent it. Under the @GovernorShapiro @LGAustinDavis Admin: • Violent crime has declined 12% statewide • Fatal gun violence has dropped 42% • 350 VIP and BOOST projects approved statewide • Approximately $162M has been invested in community safety youth programming These results are driven by local organizations, educators, law enforcement, victim service providers, advocates, and community leaders who are making a difference every day. As communities across Pennsylvania wear orange to bring more awareness to gun violence, PCCD celebrates the progress being made and remain committed to the work ahead. Every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe. Learn more at PA.GOV/GunViolence #WearOrange #GunViolenceAwarenessMonth #CommunitySafety #HarrisburgPA

Over the past 3 years, PCCD has provided more than $1B in funding through over 6.7K grants across Pennsylvania to address and prevent violence in our communities, and these efforts are delivering results — violent crime is down 12% statewide, and fatal gun violence has dropped 42%. PCCD has also approved more than 350 Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) and Building Opportunities through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) projects statewide, investing approximately $162 million in community safety initiatives and youth programming. The @GovernorShapiro @LGAustinDavis Admin is continuing to invest in what works, proposing a $5.2 million increase to the VIP program and a $1 million increase to the BOOST program in the 2026-27 budget proposal. Explore the Pennsylvania Gun Violence Prevention Resource Hub at PA.GOV/GunViolence to learn more about the data, resources, and programs helping reduce gun violence across the Commonwealth. #GunViolenceAwarenessDay #GunViolencePrevention #CommunitySafety

Every student deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe, supported, and ready to succeed. This week, PCCD's School Safety and Security Committee approved 353 applications totaling nearly $20M to help our schools strengthen security measures, address violence, and expand access to student mental health services. This builds on the @GovernorShapiro @LGAustinDavis Admin’s commitment to school safety. Since taking office, Pennsylvania has awarded nearly $400 million to more than 1.1K public and private schools across the Commonwealth. When students feel supported, they are better positioned to learn, grow, and succeed. See the full list of awards here: pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroo… #MentalHealthMatters #SchoolSafety #StudentSuccess #PennsylvaniaYouth

Solving the crisis of gun violence in our communities means looking at the whole picture – and that includes making sure gun dealers are operating responsibly, not profiting off of gun violence.

Political violence is too common in America.     It is on all of us to come together, bridge our divides, and find ways to solve our differences without the threat of violence.

For over 50 years, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) has not only provided essential resources and services for victims, but they’ve also worked to amplify the voices of survivors, raise awareness, and reduce stigma. This work is important to me and my Administration — and we’re proud to support the work they do every day. We’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s more work to do — and organizations like PAAR need our support. I look forward to working with the legislature to deliver just that.

An act of gun violence is what brought me to public service, just like so many young voices, advocates, and elected leaders throughout this country. From gun suicide, to mass shootings, accidental discharges, and homicides, every death from gun violence is a tragedy but 100% preventable.   During this National Gun Violence Awareness Month, we honor every life lost to gun violence by making our communities safer and fighting for progress.

Today, PCCD's Office of Gun Violence Prevention launched the first in a series of regional listening sessions, bringing together partners from across South Central Pennsylvania to discuss what’s working, where challenges remain, and how we can continue building safer communities together. In South Central Pennsylvania alone: ► Homicides decreased 33% from 2023 to 2024 ► Domestic violence fatalities declined nearly 45% ► More than 80% of students report it would be difficult to obtain a handgun Read about today's event and learn what's local leaders are doing in South Central Pennsylvania: pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroo… #GunViolenceAwarenessMonth #GunViolencePrevention #PublicSafety #CommunitySafety

DYK? Each year across the Commonwealth: · Nearly 150K individuals are served through VOCA-funded programs · About 12K VCAP claims are filed for expenses like medical care[SA1] , counseling, and relocation · Over the past five years, $67M has been distributed to support victims These services are critical and depend on sustainable funding. Continued action is needed to ensure victims can access the support they deserve. In April, at the Capitol rally marking #CrimeVictimsRightsWeek, @LGAustinDavis called on the U.S. Senate to act on critical legislation to strengthen funding for victim services. Read more here: pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroo… #ProposedStateBudget #PennsylvaniaVictimServices

You are free to be who you are and love who you love without fear here in Pennsylvania. We will continue to rise above the hate and division we see too often across this country, and keep fighting to advance real freedom all across our Commonwealth. Happy Pride Month, Pennsylvania!

Treatment courts across the Commonwealth are changing lives and strengthening communities. During #NationalTreatmentCourtMonth, PCCD recognizes the treatment courts, professionals, and community partners working every day to support recovery, accountability, and long-term stability across Pennsylvania. Since funding Pennsylvania’s first drug treatment court in Philadelphia in 1999, PCCD has: · Invested in intermediate punishment programs · Strengthened partnerships through Criminal Justice Advisory Boards (CJABs) · Expanded access to drug, DUI, and mental health courts statewide · Provided training and technical assistance for local courts and partners This work continues to make a difference today through strong local partnerships and evidence-based approaches that strengthen communities across the Commonwealth. #TreatmentCourtMonth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #RecoveryandResilance #PennsylvaniaTreatmentCourt

Understanding student experiences is essential to building safer, healthier schools. @AllentownSD has been a strong partner in this work—using data to help shape programs and supports for students. PCCD visited Allentown School District to see how PA’s School Safety and Security Grant funding is helping strengthen student mental health supports and improve school safety. Since 2023: • $1.3M invested in Allentown SD • Nearly $400M awarded statewide to 1,100 schools Recent Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) data also shows encouraging improvements in student mental health and school safety perceptions. • 72.8% of students report good mental health • Suicide attempts decreased from 10.6% to 4.5% • Lifetime alcohol use dropped from 30.5% to 18.8% • 81.4% of students report feeling safe at school Visit PCCD’s newsroom to read more about today’s visit and how the @GovernorShapiro - @LGAustinDavis Admin is investing in PA’s future: pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroo…

#ICYMI: The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (@PADMVA) recently launched a statewide #SuicidePrevention initiative to support service members, veterans, and their families— this investment is funded through PCCD’s Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP). This investment will help: · Expand suicide prevention outreach education · Promote lethal means safety safe firearm storage · Provide resources like cable locks secure storage devices · Strengthen connections support systems for veterans Firearm suicide prevention is a key focus area of Pennsylvania’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Through collaboration like this, PCCD is supporting evidence-based programs that reduce risk, promote safety, and save lives. Read more about this partnership here: pa.gov/agencies/dmva/about-d… Explore data, tools, and #GunViolencePrevention resources at pa.gov/gunviolence #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #PennsylvaniaVeterans