American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: Guide to Advancing Justice-Related Goals

Using state and local fiscal recovery funds to advance safety and justice goals

Updated July 16, 2021

One of the greatest opportunities within the American Rescue Plan (ARP) is the $350 billion in flexible State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, which communities can use to address local priorities in response to the pandemic. Treasury Department guidance specifically allows these funds to be used for a wide range of public safety and criminal justice initiatives.

Some of these uses are specified for areas designated as Qualified Census Tracts, or for populations or areas disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. These uses could include programs and services that address health disparities as well as Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, such as

Evidence-based practices like street outreach, violence interrupters, and hospital-based violence intervention models with wraparound services, such as behavioral therapy, trauma recovery, job training, education, housing and relocation services, and financial assistance; and
Capacity-building efforts at CVI programs such as hiring and increasing pay for intervention workers, providing training and professional development, and hiring and training program administrators.

Below, we’ve broken down the eligible uses of ARP state and local recovery funds that align with our eight criminal justice goals.

Funding Breakdown

Issue Area	Eligible Uses of Funds
Keep people in correctional facilities safe and healthy	COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as contact tracing, vaccination programs, medical care, PPE purchases, support for isolation or quarantine Investments in public facilities, such as ventilation improvements Expanding access to health services for vulnerable populations
Increase access to education for people in the juvenile and criminal justice systems	Addressing educational disparities exacerbated by COVID-19, including early learning programs, assistance to high-poverty school districts, and tutoring or afterschool programs Supports for students’ social, emotional, and mental health needs Summer education and enrichment, such as camps or recreation programs Programs that address learning loss and keep students productively engaged Services for foster youth and home visiting programs
Improve public safety and outcomes for youth in the juvenile justice system	Enhanced educational and workforce development services, including subsidized jobs for young people and summer employment programs that address the negative economic impacts of the pandemic School-based supports and mental health services Childcare services, home visiting programs for families with young children, and services for child welfare-involved families and foster youth
Support people who have experienced or are at risk of domestic violence and sexual assault	Housing-related services for survivors of domestic abuse or human trafficking Assistance to support economic security for the victims of crime Referrals to trauma recovery services for crime victims
Expand access to safe and stable housing and supports	Rent, mortgage, or utility assistance Legal aid and counseling to prevent eviction or homelessness and maintain housing stability, including eviction diversion programs and other legal services Housing stability services, such as counseling, case management, housing outreach and promotion, services for individuals experiencing domestic abuse or human trafficking, as well as for older adults or people with disabilities Services for individuals experiencing homelessness, development of affordable housing, housing vouchers, and relocation assistance
Support economic stability and mobility for people with criminal records	Programs that provide paid training or work experience targeted to formerly incarcerated individuals, or communities experiencing high levels of violence Cash and food assistance, including summer EBT and nutrition programs Internet access or digital literacy assistance Technical assistance, counseling, or other services to assist with business planning needs Services for unemployed or underemployed workers, including public jobs programs, subsidized employment, combined education and on-the-job training programs Enhanced educational and workforce development services, including subsidized jobs for young people and summer employment programs that address the negative economic impacts of the pandemic Workforce readiness training, skills development, placement services, and mentoring Associated wraparound services, including for housing, health care, and food
Help communities build comprehensive health care systems for people in the justice system	Addressing health disparities and the social determinants of health Premium pay for essential workers, including social services and community health workers Mental health services and substance use disorder services, including community-based programs, crisis support services, opioid use disorder treatment and programming, and recovery support Community violence intervention programs
Reduce criminal justice involvement for people with behavioral health needs	Mental health services and substance use disorder services, including community-based programs, crisis support services, opioid use disorder treatment and programming, and recovery support School-based supports and mental health services Premium pay for essential workers, including social services workers

In addition, the Treasury Department’s updated guidance includes more details on using funds to prevent and respond to crime and support public safety, such as increasing certain law enforcement efforts.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of eligible uses of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. There are many opportunities for states and communities to develop innovative ways to use these resources to achieve justice-related goals.

How to Access Funds

State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds have started to flow to states, counties, and cities, and their use will be determined by state and local officials. Eligible entities can request funding directly through the Treasury Department’s website.

We’re interested in learning how your jurisdiction plans to use ARP resources to support safety and justice priorities. Take our five-minute survey to share your community’s plans for using ARP funds to advance safety and justice priorities.

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Share Your Feedback

We would like to learn more about your plans to use American Rescue Plan funds to advance safety and justice priorities. Take our five-minute survey to help us better understand your community’s questions, plans, and needs.

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