EDC recognizes that mental health and well-being are the foundation for a productive, satisfying life. Our projects assist schools, health care professionals, and communities in addressing this issue, and stretch across the continuum from prevention to treatment. EDC also researches the relationship between mental health and other risk behaviors, such as substance abuse, violence, and suicide. Among our mental health programs is the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) which provides prevention support, training, and resources to assist organizations and individuals in developing suicide prevention programs, interventions, and policies to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
Hidaya, which means “guidance” in Arabic, is a project model under development that tests an integrated health and education methodology in Gaza to address the psychological and social wounds of conflict while equipping and mobilizing people into positive action. The project seeks to demonstrate that a community-based health and education intervention, using clinically proven methods, can heal trauma and promote inter-ethnic tolerance among Muslim populations in conflict countries in the Middle East.
While research has identified a number of effective suicide prevention strategies, many have not been put into practice. Through this project, EDC will create toolkits with easy-to-use educational materials and interactive resources that will also focus on institutional and personal barriers that prevent suicide from being addressed in each setting, and provide motivation to create more positive environments.
EDC will produce two new 10-15 page publications—one specifically targeted for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and the other for their families. They will be based on the VA National Center for PTSD’s successful publication for war veterans, “Returning from the War Zone”.
Eyes on Bullying is a national, multimedia bullying prevention program designed to provide parents and caregivers with user-friendly and effective ways to learn the essential principles of bullying prevention. The multimedia program, initially developed for IBM employees, includes a 42-page Toolkit with key information, resources, and six skill-building activities for caregivers and parents to use with children.
This exploratory qualitative study asks: How do youth and their parents in high-poverty urban environments conceptualize, recognize, and respond to teen mental health problems? Building on over a decade of research conducted with New York City schools serving low-income families, this study uses a theoretically and empirically informed qualitative approach. Focus groups and in-depth interviews with parents and their adolescent sons and daughters are being conducted.
The MetroWest Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a ten-year initiative of the Massachusetts-based MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation to better understand and address the health needs of adolescents in the region. Surveys are being conducted biannually with middle and high school students. The first round of surveys was conducted in 2006, with over 16,000 high school students and 8,000 middle school students participating. Districts receive timely reports of their data along with technical assistance. Findings are used to identify problems, track trends, and inform local programming.
OJJDP created a national effort to enhance the development of mentoring programs for youth involved in the juvenile justice system, juvenile reentry, and foster care. This initiative promotes collaboration among community organizations and agencies committed to supporting mentoring services for system-involved youth. Its objective is to identify and support the development of new and effective mentoring programs and determine how to expand these models for system involved youth.
Building Collaboration for Mental Health Services in California Schools is an initiative funded by the California Department of Education through California’s Mental Health Services Act. This project aims to engage mental health and education professionals in an effective planning process to prepare for implementing California’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in schools.
This technical assistance center serves 10 local communities working to reduce and prevent youth substance abuse by increasing understanding and practice of evidence-based strategies and collaboration between communities. Methods include monthly trainings, regional facilitation with community leaders, e-newsletters, a Web portal and local community coaching.
The Tribal Youth Program (TYP) Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Center addresses the need to strengthen American Indian and Alaska Native juvenile justice and other systems–education, mental health and social services, culture, recreation and employment programs–all critical to Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s mission of reducing juvenile delinquency, violence, child victimization, and increasing the safety of tribal communities.
