CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Projects Past Projects Papers & Publications Other Resources Listen to violence prevention experts read excerpts from their new book, Murder is No Accident

The first few decades of life can lay the foundation for a lifetime of good health. Behavior patterns, such as making food choices, being physically active, and engaging in violence, are often set early in life. Moreover, negative experiences in the formative years can shape brain development. For example, brain development slows down in children who experience severe neglect in the first few years of life. On the other hand, giving children and youth positive opportunities for learning, participation, individual expression, and connection to peers and adults fosters healthy overall development.

Prevention Institute engages in primary prevention efforts that result in positive early childhood and youth development outcomes both in the short-term and over a lifetime. Our work aims to reduce risk factors while also and increasing resilience factors -- those elements that allow young people to be successful. We focus on improving the environments in which children and youth develop. We also encourage young people to become involved in the planning and implementation of decisions that will affect their lives.

Prevention Institute projects for children and youth include developing strategies and policies for improving nutrition and increasing physical activity in schools, writing reports about the relationship between early childhood development and violence prevention, and conducting an evaluation a long-term violence prevention effort in schools.

Past Projects

Success Stories: Prevention/Early Intervention Targeted Capacity Expansion Grantees
These stories document the successes of SAMSHA's Prevention/Early Intervention grantees to implement mental health programs for children.

Children's Safety Network: Violence and Injury Prevention Consultation
This consultation focused on increasing the capacity of state health departments and other practitioners to prevent intentional and unintentional injuries to children and youth.

Cultivating Peace in Salinas, City of Salinas, California
Cultivating Peace is a strategically developed plan with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes for children, youth and families.

Partnerships for Preventing Violence
This six-part Partnerships for Preventing Violence distance learning series has trained more than fourteen thousand violence prevention professionals via satellite. To order videos and training materials at nominal cost, contact the Harvard University School of Public Health.

Salinas Safe Schools/Healthy Students Local Evaluation
This evaluation focused on the extent and value of collaboration, integration, and systems change in improving multiple outcomes for children and youth.

The Three R's for Dealing with Trauma in Schools: Readiness, Response, and Recovery
This training focuses on the impact of multi-level mental health services in schools, the importance of incorporating mental health into school safety plans, and the value of promoting resilience in the school community before the occurrence of a traumatizing event.

Papers & Publications

• Articles
• Reports

Other Resources

Helping Your Baby Sleep Through The Night: A Practical Step-by-Step Video for New Parents

Based on the critically acclaimed book, "Helping Your Child Sleep Through The Night", by Susie Schevill and Joanne Cuthbertson, this award winning, medically approved video provides parents with clear, practical, and soothing guidelines for establishing quality sleep habits.

Action Alliance for Children
Child Trends Data Bank
Children's Defense Fund
Children's Safety Network
Connect for Kids
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California
The Forum for Youth Investment
Health Initiatives for Youth

HOPE Foundation
National Center for Children in Poverty
National Organizations for Youth Safety
National Youth Development Information Center
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Search Institute

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Putting Prevention at the Center of Community Well Being
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