# Beshear awards $1.3M in federal grants for crisis intervention programs  
**Published:** 2025-12-11T18:02:28.000Z  
**Source:** [KY Justice & Public Safety Cabinet](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=Justice&prId=282)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/beshear-awards-1-3m-in-federal-grants-for-crisis-intervention-programs

LEXINGTON, Ky. — [Governor Andy Beshear awarded more than $1.3 million in federal grant funding to 12 organizations](https://justice.ky.gov/News/Pages/25-26ByrneSCIPAwards.aspx) on December 11 through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program to increase public safety across Kentucky.

The [Justice and Public Safety Cabinet](https://justice.ky.gov/) distributed the grants to fund programs addressing crisis intervention, behavioral health, suicide prevention and gun violence prevention. [The State Crisis Intervention Advisory Board adopted five priority areas for 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.](https://justice.ky.gov/News/Pages/25-26ByrneSCIPAwards.aspx)

Local recipients included the [Fayette County Board of Education](https://www.fcboe.net/), which received $43,900 to implement an evidence-based school violence and gang prevention program in 16 elementary schools, and Western Kentucky University, awarded $158,000 to implement CALM training for social work students and licensed clinicians.

Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson emphasized the collaborative approach to public safety, stating that support for organizations providing direct services to communities remains a priority. [Western Kentucky University](https://www.western.edu/)'s award includes support for training 140 social work students and 100 licensed clinicians from LifeSkills and Pennyroyal Center on Counseling on Access to Lethal Means.

[Governor Beshear](https://governor.ky.gov/) said the grants represent continued commitment to building a safer commonwealth. ["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,"](https://justice.ky.gov/News/Pages/25-26ByrneSCIPAwards.aspx) he said.

The grants are part of a broader public safety initiative. [Since taking office, 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.](https://justice.ky.gov/News/Pages/25-26ByrneSCIPAwards.aspx) The administration has also awarded more than $162 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth.

## Sources

- [KY Justice & Public Safety Cabinet](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=Justice&prId=282)
- [Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet - Gov. Beshear Awards More Than $1.3 Million To Increase Public Safety](https://justice.ky.gov/News/Pages/25-26ByrneSCIPAwards.aspx)
- [Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet homepage](https://justice.ky.gov/)
- [Governor Andy Beshear official website](https://governor.ky.gov/)
- [Fayette County Board of Education](https://www.fcboe.net/)
- [Western Kentucky University](https://www.western.edu/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from KY Justice & Public Safety Cabinet, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=Justice&prId=282.