Jennifer DeLaCruz will serve as the first director of the Office of Community Violence Intervention. Community violence, which includes homicide and non-fatal shootings, causes substantial harm and trauma to communities, especially in racially segregated and historically disinvested neighborhoods. It continues to be a significant and growing public health problem.
Ms. DeLaCruz:
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- She’s served as the state administrative manager in the Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHS) Injury and Violence Prevention Section since 2015.
- Prior to that, she worked for Michigan State University’s School of Social Work and as a DHHS public health consultant.
- She holds a master’s degree in social work and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Michigan State University.
Office of Community Violence Intervention:
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- The office was created through the state’s FY2024 budget.
- It’s designed to partner with community-based organizations working to reduce violent incidents by providing grants and other resources to community violence prevention agencies.
- DeLaCruz will oversee a staff of four.
