Public Health

EDC has developed three new culturally-targeted videos to supplement the VOICES/VOCES HIV/STD prevention program. VOICES/VOCES, an intervention that has been proven effective in reducing rates of new STD infection, has been disseminated to about 1500 agencies through the United States, and is one of the widely used behavioral interventions. Over 600 agencies and 1500 trainers have delivered the program.

We assist colleges and universities create safer and healthier campus communities through an environmental approach. Our support services include consultation, resources and materials, face-to-face and online trainings, strategic planning, and support developing, implementing and evaluating proven programs and policies that address heavy drinking, tobacco and other drug use, violence, hate crimes, and high-risk sexual practices among college students.

The Connecticut Health Foundation’s (CHF) 10 year strategic plan included a goal to decrease the number of children and youth (ages 6-14) from entering the Juvenile Justice System and/or the most intensive level of mental health treatment. To accomplish this goal, CHF created a grant program to support and promote a comprehensive community-based system of early screening, assessment, identification, and brief intervention.

EDC is examining developmental pathways of violence perpetration among African-American and Latino young adults who grew up in severely distressed neighborhoods of the inner city and are now parents. About 1000 participants in the decade-long Reach for Health Longitudinal Study have been successfully tracked from middle school into their early twenties, a time when many have become parents. The information they have provided is being analyzed to address the questions: How do past experiences with violence shape parenting attitudes and practices as well as ongoing involvement in violence?

Serving communities in the Three Areas, HEAR Sudan builds capacity of local stakeholders to plan, implement and monitor health and education services, helps translate this increased capacity into action, and builds community support for school governance and outreach. HEAR strengthens linkages between educators and health workers with the aim of increasing healthy girls’ and boys’ access to quality education.

The Center helps college and community leaders develop, implement, and evaluate programs and policies to reduce student problems related to alcohol and other drug use and interpersonal violence. In order to produce enduring, large-scale changes that will make students’ social and cultural environment healthier and safer, the Center supports a comprehensive approach to prevention, grounded in environmental management strategies that address the institutional, community, and public policy factors related to these problems.

Injuries, suicide, and violence cause the greatest number of deaths and hospitalizations for children and adolescents. The Children’s Safety Network works with local, state, and national maternal and child health agencies, strengthening their capacity to address these problems through advocacy, materials development, training, technical assistance, needs assessment, evaluation, and policy development.

NECAPT strengthens the capacity of state and local agencies to implement evidence-based alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse prevention policies, programs, and strategies for youth and their families in 11 northeastern states. Using information and communications technology, NECAPT augments face-to-face professional development so that states and local communities can put new research evidence into practice. Materials and technical assistance are also available.

The National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention (National Center) provides technical assistance (TA) and training to 106 federally-funded Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) grantees and to six Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health) (PL) grantees.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) enhances the nation’s mental health infrastructure by providing states, government agencies, private organizations, colleges and universities, and suicide survivor and mental health consumer groups with access to the science and experience that can support their efforts to develop programs, implement interventions, and promote policies to prevent suicide.