Summary of Violence Prevention Action Plan(VPAP)Effort(1997-2001)
The Violence Prevention Program was initiated in 1996 with a two-year grant from the
David & Lucile Foundation. In January, 1997, as incoming Chair of the Board of
Supervisors, Supervisor Jim Beall requested that the Public Health Department
coordinate and develop a comprehensive county-wide action plan for violence prevention
by working with all other entities addressing this issue.
In May 1997,the Violence Prevention Council(VPC)of Santa Clara County was
established to increase awareness about the impact of violence in our community and to
create a community approach to prevent and reduce violence through collaborative
county-wide action. During the county’s budget hearings in June, 1997, the Santa Clara
County Board of Supervisors voted to fund and institutionalize violence prevention as a
program in the Public Health Department and provided $247,000 to staff the Violence
Prevention Council, its committees, and overall community planning process.
In October 1998, the Public Health Department(PHD)and Violence Prevention Council
presented the Violence Prevention Action Plan(VPAP)to the Board ofSupervisors.
At that time, the PHD recommended that a more formalized organization/ governance
structure be convened to monitor the VPAP,support community collaboration and advise
the Board of Supervisors on matters relating to violence prevention.

From November 1998 through March 1999, the Board of Supervisors held a number of
community hearings to assist with the modification of VPAP policy recommendations as
recommendations on the prevention of gun violence and alcohol-related violence proved
controversial in the community. On April 6, 1999, the Board of Supervisors approved
the modified VPAP and the 1998/99 Expenditure Plan and released $350,000 in annual
general fund reserves for VPAP implementation.
At the December 7, 1999 meeting of the Board of Supervisors, the Board designated a
new group, the Violence Prevention Task Group(VPTG)as the organizational
mechanism charged with coordinating and guiding the implementation of the VPAP.
Some of the more significant VPAP Accomplishments 1999/ 2000 include:
• The PHD helped to introduce and fund the PeaceBuilders school-based violence
prevention program in over 33 schools in Santa Clara County.
• The PHD & the VPAP Public Awareness & Education Committee developed a
multiyear public education campaign to promote violence free relationships and
provided ongoing media trainings to the community.
• The PHD & VPAP Parent Education Committee held two successful community
conferences on early violence prevention which targeted childcare providers and
parents.

• The PHD & VPTG joined the Santa Clara/ San Mateo SAFEKIDS Coalition to
develop and implement a firearm awareness and safety campaign directed to the adult
public.
• The PHD & VPTG supported the development of a more coordinated system of data
collection and analysis across county departments.

Violence Prevention: Program,(1996-2001), Violence Prevention
Action Plan (VPAP, 1998-2001), and Misc. Articles:
1. Violence Prevention Action Plan(VPAP)Summary
(See May 4,2001 Transmittal for documentation of efforts)
2. May 4, 2001

VPAP: Update on Implementation

3. April 21, 2000

VPAP Expenditure Plan FY99/00

4. December 7, 1999

Approved Governance & Organizational Model: VPAP

5. August 31, 1999

Report Back on VPC Rx on Governance & Org,
Structure

6. August 18, 1999

Report Back on Board-Modified VPAP Rx

7. August 18, 1999

Report Back on the Promoting Violence Free
Relationships Public Awareness & Ed. Campaign

8. January 20,1998

Approval of Items Relating to the VP Council

9. November 16, 1998

Memo from Sup. Beall to VP Council

10. November 6, 1997

Violence Prevention in SCC: Current Efforts, Statistics
& Future Opportunities

11. December 15, 1997

VP Council: Action Planning

12. September 9, 1998

VPAP Draft(105 pages - title page &
acknowledgements only)

13. November 10, 2000

CSAC Family Violence Task Force

14. June 22, 1999

Press Release: Sup. Beall Meets w/National Leaders at
White House Summit on Children Exposed to Violence

15. July 15, 1995

SJMN: Letter Page - “Prevention means a hand up, not
a handout”.