Enacted in 1976, the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program is a unique effort to provide death, disability, and education benefits to families of law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty. This collaboration among BJA, the PSOB Office, public safety agencies, and national organizations relies heavily on the ability of the PSOB Office to work with national stakeholders to maintain and enhance a wide range of effective survivor resources. The goal of this initiative is to provide support and counseling services and resources to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders nationwide.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP) are hosting this no-cost webinar on peer recovery support services (PRSSs). To address opioid misuse and achieve positive outcomes, PRSSs are being offered across diverse criminal justice settings. As peer practitioners move into a variety of roles in the criminal justice system, programs must carefully prepare to integrate peer supports into their portfolios of services, including consideration of support mechanisms and promotion of adequate self-care.

Date: Wednesday, February 26
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., ET

This no-cost webinar, produced by the Council of State Government Justice Center, will provide a state-by-state analysis of education policy based on a new report, “Laying the Groundwork: How States Can Improve Access to Continued Education for People in the Criminal Justice System.” A team of expert panelists will discuss this report, including best practices to improve educational access and support for people in corrections facilities and formerly incarcerated individuals.

Date: Tuesday, February 25
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., ET

Election security is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). #Protect2020 is being executed in coordination with the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council (EI-GCC) with five key priorities:

• Increase engagement and support to local elections officials.
• Increase awareness of risks associated with inconsistent and insufficient resources.
• Mature risk initiatives through sector-specific agency councils.
• Apply lessons learned from 2018 to review and refine the communications mechanisms and content supporting the subsector.
• Drive improved security practices in future election infrastructure.
   

The IJIS Institute’s National Symposium is focused on advancing public sector technology innovation and empowering information sharing to promote safer and healthier communities. The 2020 National Symposium will be held on February 26–27, 2020, in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The National Symposium highlights national priority initiatives benefiting all levels of government and brings together industry solution providers, government leaders, and representatives from nonprofit and academic organizations to network and collaborate in a neutral, non-sales environment. The National Symposium offers the unique opportunity to hear firsthand from state and local government officials and federal government leaders.