LBC Community Engagement Event

Community safety

Long Beach

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

The TRIPSS INC Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program will provide trauma-informed prevention services to justice-impacted individuals, those experiencing homelessness, and individuals with co-occurring disorders. Implemented in partnership with Greater Harvest Church in ZIP code 90813—Long Beach’s highest crime area—the program targets a community deeply affected by poverty, homelessness, and violence. Substance use, especially opioid-related emergencies and overdose deaths, continues to rise in Long Beach, with 90813 being one of the hardest-hit areas. TRIPSS INC will expand its racial violence education and substance use prevention protocol into Central-East Long Beach, focusing on reducing gun-related deaths by enhancing access to supportive services, economic mobility opportunities, and youth- and family-centered interventions. The program will foster social connectedness, increase community engagement, and promote safe, healthy neighborhoods while improving awareness.

This grant will support the expansion and implementation of the TRIPSS INC Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program in Central-East Long Beach, with a focus on ZIP code 90813—an area disproportionately impacted by poverty, substance abuse, homelessness, and violent crime. In partnership with Greater Harvest Church, the program will deliver trauma-informed, culturally responsive prevention services tailored to justice-impacted individuals, unhoused populations, and those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The initiative integrates racial violence education with substance use prevention and intervention strategies to address the root causes of violence and addiction.
The program will increase access to supportive services, including peer support, case management, referrals to treatment, and economic mobility-focused programming such as job readiness training. It will also provide community workshops for youth and families aimed at promoting healing, resilience, and awareness of available resources. By fostering social connectedness, building trust within communities, and reducing stigma, TRIPSS INC seeks to create safer, healthier neighborhoods. Through strategic community engagement, the initiative will directly address the systemic barriers fueling gun violence and addiction in one of Long Beach’s most vulnerable regions.

If TRIPSS INC’s work is successful, Los Angeles County—particularly Central-East Long Beach—will see measurable reductions in substance abuse, gun violence, and racial trauma. Justice-impacted individuals, people experiencing homelessness, and those with co-occurring disorders will have improved access to trauma-informed care, supportive services, and pathways to economic stability. Youth and families will benefit from increased engagement in violence prevention and wellness programs, fostering resilience and long-term safety. Communities will experience stronger social bonds, greater trust in local institutions, and enhanced awareness of resources. This shift will contribute to the development of safer, healthier neighborhoods, ultimately creating a more equitable and empowered Los Angeles County where all residents have the support they need to thrive.