Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) has expanded its School-Based Violence Intervention Program (SBVIP) to Del Norte High School, making it the fourth high school in Albuquerque to offer full-time, on-campus intervention support. The program, which is already active at West Mesa High School, RFK High School, and Atrisco Heritage Academy High School, places ACS Intervention Specialists on campus to provide mentorship, academic assistance, and access to services such as housing help, food security, and job placement.
The expansion was announced at a press conference. Mayor Tim Keller stated, “The program is about never giving up on our kids. We’re getting ahead of violence by putting the right people in the right place at the right time. We’re proud to bring this proven model to Del Norte—and we’re working to expand it to every APS high school.”
SBVIP is part of the broader Teen Connect initiative led by the Mayor’s office. Teen Connect focuses on prevention and aims to strengthen safety measures for teens in Albuquerque. It includes not only SBVIP but also out-of-school programs like Teen Nights and enrichment activities, free meals for youth, partnerships with APS Career Academies for career development opportunities, and financial literacy efforts through Bank on Burque.
By offering safe spaces and mentorship along with academic and career pathways, Teen Connect seeks to build stronger neighborhoods and ensure that young people feel supported and engaged.
Since its launch in 2022, SBVIP has shown positive results. Data from the 2024–25 school year indicate that 83% of eligible seniors involved with SBVIP graduated from high school. The program has also contributed to improvements in GPA scores, higher graduation rates overall, fewer suspensions among participants, and more positive outcomes after graduation.
Jasmine Desiderio, ACS Deputy Director of Violence Intervention Program said: “Del Norte students deserve to feel supported, understood, and empowered. SBVIP is here to walk beside them through their challenges and toward their goals.”
The expansion of SBVIP comes through collaboration with Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) and supports the district’s Goals and Guardrails framework focused on student achievement in areas such as literacy and math proficiency as well as readiness for life after graduation.
Dr. Kenneth Salazar, Associate Superintendent for School Climate and Supports at APS added: “At APS, we’re working hard to make sure our students have the supports they need to succeed. The expansion of the School-Based Violence Intervention Program into Del Norte High School is a good example of the many things we’re doing to empower our students and help them make good decisions. We’re grateful to the city for partnering with us in this work.”
More information about SBVIP can be found at https://www.cabq.gov/acs/vip/sbvip.
ACS serves as Albuquerque’s third branch of public safety by responding to calls involving behavioral health issues or other non-criminal matters rather than police or medical emergencies.
