Indiana FY22 Requirements for Secured School Safety Grant Applicants HEA 1225

Grant Applicants HEA 1225

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has opened the application period for

the FY22 Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG), which has important legal requirements

that become effective for all applicants this year.

Critical Elements

The application period for eligible expenses under the SSSG will begin early Summer

2021. To be eligible to apply for the grant, schools will have to certify two critical

elements new in the application for this cycle:

1. Has your school or corporation conducted a threat assessment to comply with
2. Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(c)?
3. Has your school or corporation completed a memorandum of understanding in
4. place with a community mental health or behavior health center or does your
5. school/corporation employ a certified or licensed provider pursuant to Ind. Code
6. 10-21-1-5(d)?

Indiana law requires the two above requirements must be met by July 1, 2021, to make

an applicant eligible to apply for SSSG funding. Failure to meet these requirements will

prevent a school from proceeding through the application process in IntelliGrants. The

exact language that will appear in the IntelliGrants application for the SSSG is featured

below in this message.

In addition, Ind. Code 10-21-1-4(f) requires the county in which an applicant exists to

have a county school safety commission. This commission requirement is not new and

has been part of the program since SSSG first began awarding grants to Indiana schools

in 2014. See Indiana Code explaining the requirements of a county school safety

commission.

Paying close attention to these and other existing eligibility requirements will help

expedite the SSSG application and subsequent review processes.

Resources

Guidance documents and other necessary instructions to help apply to the Secured

School Safety Grant Program can be found on the IDHS website. This includes the six

(6) project-scope categories of eligible expenditures under the program guidelines.

In 2020, the Indiana Department of Education and the Family and Social Services

Administration issued guidance to schools to help explain the eligibility requirements

and provide tools to help schools ensure their eligibility. This includes a sample MOU

with a mental health provider.

New Questions for the FY22 Application

• Question 1:  Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(c) requires that before July 1, 2021, each school corporation, charter school or accredited nonpublic school shall certify to the department of homeland security that the school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school has conducted a threat assessment for each school building used by the school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school before applying for a grant under this chapter.

• Does the applicant (school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school) certify to the department of homeland security that it has conducted a threat assessment for each school building it uses, pursuant to Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(c)?

• If [YES], move on with the application.

• If [NO], the applicant may not move forward.

• Question 2:  Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(d) requires that before July 1, 2021, each school corporation, charter school or accredited nonpublic school shall certify to the department of homeland security that the school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school has a memorandum of understanding in place with a community mental health center established under IC 12-29-2 or provider certified or licensed by the state to provide mental or behavioral health services to students before applying for a grant under this chapter. A provider described in this subsection may be employed by the school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school. 

• Does the applicant (school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school) certify to the department of homeland security that it has a memorandum of understanding in place or employs a certified or licensed provider pursuant to Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(d)?

• If [YES], move on with the application. 

• If [NO], the applicant may not move forward.

Background on SSSG

The Secured School Safety Grant is a matching, reimbursement grant for Indiana school

corporations, accredited non-public schools, charter schools or a coalition of school

corporations/charter schools applying jointly to address potential safety threats. Since

awards were first issued in 2014, more than $91 million in state-funded grants have been

dedicated to enhancing school safety in Indiana.

IDHS Grants Management has compiled a frequently asked questions page to assist

organizations regarding the Secured School Safety Grant. More information is available

online.

Visit the Indiana School Safety Hub for more information.

To submit a support ticket for IDHS grants or IntelliGrants, visit dhs.in.gov/grants.htm.

ASR ALERT SYSTEMS AN ACTIVE WARNING SYSTEM APPROVED VENDOR FOR HEA 1225

Per the Indiana Sherriff’s Association, ASR Alert Systems has been named an approved vendor capable of meeting active warning system specifications laid out in HEA 1225. 

ASR Alert Systems is a patented state-of-the-art critical incident response technology specializing in the field of alert notifications to Law Enforcement and First Responders in the event of an active shooter or other crisis. Our technology can be customized to any industry, building, or event. We deliver customer-specific technology unmatched by anyone. With the PUSH of A BUTTON, the life-saving critical information of your situation is sent DIRECTLY to police dispatch.  

NOTE: When you call 911, you are generally reaching a call center who then has to call the local law enforcement department, who then has to communicate the situation to first responders.

The ASR system reaches dispatch and 911 simultaneously and also has the ability to text local officers on the ground - all at the same time, delivering all the information to everyone within seconds. We hold the patent on this technology.

Our critical incident response technology uses hard-mounted buttons, mobile pendants, and an optional mobile phone application to DIRECTLY communicate with first responders in the area to significantly decrease response times to an active threat or crisis situation.  

To help make active threat detection technology even more valuable for your organization, the ASR system can be integrated with other security-related systems including Video Management Systems (VMS), Access Control Systems, Public Announcement (PAs), and Scrolling Board Platforms. ASR can also be integrated into Law Enforcement Real-Time Crimes Centers (RTCC) and 911 Dispatch Computer Automated Dispatch (CAD) software. Having ASR as part of your organization's incident response plan is a value-added benefit.

 ASR’s President, Hector Delgado says, “Our system empowers everyone to notify local first responders, 911 dispatch, and all personnel within their facility in an active shooter/assailant situation with the simple push of a button. The notification pinpoints and provides the exact location of the threat. This not only helps police respond immediately with accurate information, but it also helps everyone involved to know where the threat is located so they can run away from the threat, not towards it. There is no question that the ASR Alert System can make a difference, we truly believe that saving time saves lives!”

Saving Time Saves Lives

To schedule a free virtual demonstration of the ASR Threat Alert System, please CONTACT US today.

To learn more about ASR Alert Systems, CLICK HERE