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HB 3700

COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENT

104th Regular Session Introduced by Maura Hirschauer

A state workgroup will assess and plan to expand and professionalize the community violence intervention workforce to serve 75% of high-risk individuals within five years.

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Bill Summary · HB 3700

HB 3700 — Community Violence Intervention Workforce Development Act

Status: Enacted (Signed by Governor 5/29/2025); Effective date: September 1, 2025
Introduced by Rep. Maura Hirschauer (First read 2/18/2025)

Purpose / Intent

HB 3700 creates a time‑limited statewide workgroup to assess and plan workforce development for community violence intervention (CVI) services in Illinois. The bill recognizes that CVI programs—outreach, trauma‑informed mental health, employment and training—show promise in reducing gun violence but face a shortage of culturally competent staff (particularly those with lived experience). The Act directs the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) within the Department of Human Services (DHS) to convene experts to produce actionable workforce estimates, tools, and statutory recommendations to professionalize and expand the CVI workforce.

Key provisions

  • Establishes the Community Violence Intervention Workforce Development Workgroup within OFVP.
  • Workgroup duties (must be completed by December 31, 2026):
    1. Estimate the number of highest‑risk individuals currently served and the number who likely need CVI services.
    2. Determine current and future workforce needs based on an objective of serving 75% of those with chronic exposure to gun violence within 5 years.
    3. Identify critical job functions and categories for CVI services.
    4. Estimate available workforce by job function/category.
    5. Develop job descriptions and merit assessment tools by job function/category.
    6. Identify changes to State grants and funding that could strengthen recruitment, training, and evaluation.
    7. Recommend statutory changes by job function/category to enable career paths and improve recruitment/retention.
  • Membership: specified roster including representatives from Metropolitan Peace Academy; READI Chicago; regional community‑based CVI agencies (Peoria, East St. Louis, Rockford, Aurora/Elgin); a private funder/operator; Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority; university research evaluator; OFVP; behavioral health; philanthropic/foundation community; a community college; City of Chicago; plus four legislative appointees (one each by the House Speaker, House Minority Leader, Senate President, and Senate Minority Leader).
  • Appointment authority: non‑legislative members are to be appointed by the Assistant Secretary of Firearm Violence Prevention (or designee).
  • Sunset: the Workgroup is dissolved on January 1, 2027; the Act repeals on that date.

Who is affected

  • Office of Firearm Violence Prevention / DHS (administrative convening, technical support)
  • Community violence intervention organizations and networks statewide (Chicago and regional programs)
  • Funders, community colleges, behavioral health providers, research institutions
  • Individuals at highest risk of gun violence (indirectly affected by planned service expansion)
  • State policymakers (will receive statutory and funding recommendations)

Timeline & procedural notes

  • Tasks due: December 31, 2026
  • Workgroup dissolved and Act repealed: January 1, 2027
  • Enactment: Passed both chambers in May 2025; signed by Governor 5/29/2025; effective 9/1/2025

Potential impact

If implemented, the workgroup’s findings and recommendations could lead to:
- Standardized CVI job descriptions and hiring/assessment tools
- Policy and funding changes to support recruitment, training, evaluation, and career pathways for workers with lived experience
- Improved capacity planning aimed at expanding services toward the stated 75% service goal over five years (subject to follow‑up legislation and funding decisions)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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