Children's Exposure to Violence

CEV In the News

Defending Childhood Task Force Meeting in Detroit
The Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence (the Defending Childhood Task Force) will hold its fourth and final public hearing in Detroit on April 23-24, 2012. The public is welcome to attend the hearing, provide written testimony, or watch the hearing via Webinar. More »

Ways to Stop Teen Dating Violence
In an article published on The Atlantic's Web site on March 9, 2012, University of New Hampshire's Sherry Hamby provides practical advice on how to stop teen dating violence. Hamby based her article on research from the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV), a project sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. View the research paper.

Written Testimony Sought for the Defending Childhood Task Force Hearing
The Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence is holding the third of four public hearings in Miami on March 19-21. This hearing will focus on children's exposure to violence in their communities and at school. The Task Force is interested in hearing from community members and professionals who work with children and families who have experienced violence and from directly impacted individuals. Members of the public are invited to send written testimony anytime through April 24, 2012.

Defending Childhood Task Force Holds Second Hearing
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence will hold its second public hearing on Tuesday, January 31^st in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Expert panelists and members of the public will address current problems and system responses to children's exposure to violence in rural and tribal communities.

Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence
The U.S. Attorney General's Defending Childhood Task Force, composed of practitioners, child and family advocates, academic experts and licensed clinicians, will conduct four public hearings around the country to learn first-hand about the extent and nature of the problem of children's exposure to violence in the United States, both as victims and as witnesses. Hearings will take place in Baltimore; Albuquerque, N.M.; Miami; and Detroit. The first hearing of the task force will be held in Baltimore on Nov. 29-30, 2011.

Journal of Juvenile Justice Now Available Online

On October 14, 2011, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) released the new online Journal of Juvenile Justice. Published semi-annually, the peer-reviewed Journal is an accessible, practical tool for researchers and practitioners that will address a variety of issues in juvenile justice, such as juvenile victimization, delinquency prevention, intervention, and treatment.

Conyers Praises Federal Grant Award to Detroit's Alternatives for Girls Program (AFG)
On September 23, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) praised the U.S. Department of Justice award of a $250,000 grant to the AFG program in Detroit as part of its Safe Start Promising Approaches Project. Chosen as one of 10 pilot sites from community programs across the nation, AFG's mission is to help homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation, and to help them explore and access the support, resources and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong and to make positive choices in their lives. More

NPR Morning Edition Feature Touches on Violence Exposure and Coping After A Disaster
Just in time for National Preparedness Month, NPR's September 15th Morning Edition features an engaging discussion about children and families who continue to be exposed to violence after a disaster are finding ways to cope with the stress.

The Cost of Caring: Giving Until It Hurts
Caregivers spend so much time helping survivors of trauma that they often forget to care for themselves. This problem is called secondary traumatic stress disorder or compassion fatigue. Untreated, it can severely harm the caregiver's own mental health and ability to continue their work. View our Safe Start Center blog for resources to help caregivers experiencing this reaction start to heal and cope.

Remembering 9/11
The 10^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks remind us that it is important to talk with children about traumatic events. More and more children are exposed to disasters and violence, whether personally in their own communities or second hand through media coverage of world events. Yet many of us do not know how to discuss these topics with our children.

Chicago Public Health Plan Addresses Children's Exposure to Violence
The Chicago Department of Public Health recently released its Healthy Chicago 5-year plan. In addressing violence prevention, the stated goal is to "increase the quality and years of healthy living by reducing and preventing exposure to violence in the home and community, and addressing bullying among adolescents."

Tanzania Report Reveals Extent of Violence Against Children
Tanzania just became one of the first African nations to release a study, a joint venture by the Muhimbili University in Dar es Salaam and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that provides an in-depth examination of the extent that children there suffer from exposure to violence.

Announcing the New Safe Start Center Wordpress Blog
This new blog offers discussion and awareness about news and resources related to the field of Children Exposed to Violence (CEV). The blog supports the Safe Start Center's mission to be a resource for those working or interested in the field of CEV and to raise awareness, effective community action, and the move from evidence to action to prevent and reduce the impact of violence on children and their families.

Children's Budget 2010
First Focus provides the latest edition of the Children's Budget series, an annual report on the status of children in the federal budget. The book offers readers data on five year funding trends for federal programs related to children. Readers will find raw data on five-year funding trends for all budgetary programs relating to children. The goal in publishing the book is to inform policymakers, advocates, and the American public about the importance the federal government places on programs targeted towards improving the lives of children and youth.

New Public Service Announcement About Children's Exposure to Violence
A public service announcement (PSA) featuring Attorney General Eric Holder began airing this week on the Investigation Discovery network. This 30-second PSA calls on all of us to take action to protect our children from violence in communities across the country, and to work together to prevent children's exposure to violence as victims and witnesses.

Poverty, Trauma, and Infant Mental Health
This article points out that the majority of young children in the public health sector who come to the attention of the mental helath system have a range of needs that often are the result of the link between poverty and health problems across the life span. In light of the early childhood origins of the overalp between poverty and health problems, infancy and early childhood mental health interventions need to be integrated with other systems of care that address the well-being of the child.

SAMHSA Releases School Toolkit for Suicide Prevention
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Suicide Prevention Research Center has released, "After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools." The toolkit describes common warning signs and causes of suicide, provides best practices on suicide prevention in schools, and provides information about how a school should respond when a suicide has occurred. Topics include crisis response, helping students cope, working with the community, social media, bringing in outside help, and more. The toolkit is free and available online.

Resources:
Download the toolkit at http://www.sprc.org/library/AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools.pdf

Fact Sheets: Links Between Violence and Chronic Diseases, Mental Illness and Poor Learning
The Prevention Institute has just released three fact sheets on the links between violence and 1) chronic illness, 2) mental health, and 3) learning. They can make the case that violence undermines the efforts of multiple sectors and that preventing violence should be integrated into the work of these sectors.

Safe From the Start Project
The Safe from the Start action research project, developed in Australia, offers a Train the Trainer one-day program, developed by Dr. Angela Spinney (Swinburne University), which is now available. The project also offers an evidence-based training program and resource kit providing therapeutic ways of working with young children aged 0-5 who have been affected by family violence. Overall, the kit consists of 25 products from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Family Violence Prevention and Health Practice
Home visitation holds great promise as an intervention and prevention strategy for domestic violence. In Issue 11 Spring 2011 of the E-journal of the Family Violence Prevention Fund experts discuss home visitation. In Connecting the Dots: Children's Exposure to Violence and Home Visiting Programs Safe Start Center authors Elena Cohen and Isa Woldeguiorguis discuss the importance of home visitation in responding to the needs of children exposed to violence.

Mayors Act to Prevent Youth Violence
On April 4, 2011 mayors from six cities presented comprehensive plans to prevent youth violence in their communities at a Summit on Preventing Youth Violence held in Washington, D.C. The cities are: Boston; Chicago; Detroit; Memphis, Salinas, and San Jose. View the plans.

Safe Start Center Webinar: Braiding and Blending Financing Strategies for Sustainability
In the current economic environment it is increasingly difficult to access financing and create sustainability in community-based services for children and families. In this Web seminar, Jarle Crocker, Ph.D., provides strategies to access and maximize federal funds, create partnerships to leverage other funds, and build a more sustainable funding base.

Safe Start San Diego 2011 Conference
The Safe Start San Diego 2011 Conference is a free, full day event designed for professionals from any discipline that serve children, youth and families. Featuring leading local and national experts, keynote presentations and breakout sessions will reflect the conference theme of "Making the Connection: Environment and Violence".

UN experts call for better data collection and research on violence against children
GENEVA, 11 March 2011 - At a special event held during the current meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today, UN experts called for better data and research on violence against children in order to strengthen government action for prevention and response to violence, including legislative reform to prohibit it in all its forms.

U.S. Department of Justice Holds Meeting With Defending Childhood Representatives
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) hosted a meeting of Defending Childhood representatives from communities across the country on January 25—27, 2011. The meeting brought together the initiative's eight demonstration sites for a series of lectures, peer-to-peer exchanges, and dialog with DOJ leadership on the issue of children's exposure to violence. Attorney General Eric Holder, Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli, and DOJ officials discussed the initiative with representatives and their ongoing efforts in their communities.

"I am grateful for this opportunity to discuss our shared goals—and your front-line efforts—to prevent, reduce, and combat childhood exposure to violence," said the Attorney General. "The issue of children's exposure to violence has been both a personal and professional concern for decades. As our nation's Attorney General, and as a parent of three young children, addressing this crisis—and implementing bold, innovative, and collaborative solutions—is a top priority."

Attorney General Holder launched the Defending Childhood initiative in September 2010 to focus on addressing children's exposure to violence. A key component of the initiative is a multiyear demonstration program, which includes DOJ funding for eight demonstration sites to develop and implement multidisciplinary strategies for preventing, intervening in, treating, and responding to the problem of children's exposure to violence.

Cost-Effective Investments in Children at Risk
Using an evidence-based approach to assessment, the New York State Comptroller has released a report identifying 3 strategies most effective at mitigating risk factors for delinquent behavior: pre-kindergarten programs, drug and alcohol treatment programs for pregnant women, and programs to assist mentally ill parents. View the report.

Federal Workgroup on Children Exposed to Violence Publishes Review of Evidence-Based Practices
Experts at the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services conducted a review of existing federal evidence-based programs databases to help localities address childhood exposure to violence and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities. View the report.

On January 26, 2011, Attorney General Holder and Justice Department Officials Met with Defending Childhood Representatives

View the Attorney General's remarks

OJJDP funded 15 Safe Start Promising Approaches sites across the country. Each site developed a different approach involving the application of evidence-based practices to address children's exposure to violence. This report presents the findings from a process evaluation and an evaluation of training conducted by the RAND Corporation.

For a copy of the process evaluation, click here.

Family Violence Prevention and Services Funding Announcements
The Department of Health and Human Services announces the availability of grants to provide services to prevent and reduce children's exposure to domestic violence and to provide technical assistance for grantees. Application deadlines are July 30, 2010.

• Family Violence Prevention and Services Funding Announcement
• Family Violence Prevention and Services/Technical Assistance Funding Announcement

OJJDP Announces Latest FY 2010 Funding Opportunities
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the following fiscal year (FY) 2010 funding opportunities:

• Juvenile Indigent Defense National Clearinghouse
• National Evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches
• Safe Start Promising Approaches Project
• Youth with Sexual Behavior Problems Program.

Resources:
To obtain further information about the above and other current OJJDP solicitations, including eligibility criteria and application deadlines, visit ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/funding/FundingList.asp.

New Funding Opportunities for the Attorney General's Initiative on Children Exposed to Violence
U.S. Department of Justice Press Release, 2010
On March 31, 2010, the Department of Justice released more than $5 million in available funds to address the high incidence of American children's exposure to violence. The Department has made these funds available through six grant solicitations targeting planning, outreach, research, and best practices. Application dateline is June 1, 2010. Access the solicitations.

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is May 6th!
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is a day for everyone to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Contact Marie Enie, Art Action lead at SAMHSA, at menie@vancomm.com, for art activities for children ages 3-8. Contact Lorrin Gehring, Youth Action lead, at lgehring@ffcmh.org for youth older than 8 years old to create signs depicting what they want to do when they grow up. To learn more about this event, please visit www.samhsa.gov/children/.

Department of Justice Announces Over $5 million in Funding to Address Children's Exposure to Violence. On Wednesday, March 31, 2010, the Department of Justice announced more than $5 million in available funds in fiscal year 2010 to address the high incidence of American children's exposure to violence. The Department has made these funds available through six grant solicitations targeting planning, outreach, research, and best practices. Deadline for proposals is June 1, 2010. This announcement is part of the Justice Department's ongoing commitment to provide leadership and federal assistance to reduce the incidence and impact of children's exposure to violence across the country. Access open solicitations.

Mayor Daley Proclaims 2010 CEV Week. Chicago's Mayor Daley has proclaimed April 19 to be the start of the 4th Annual Child Exposure to Violence Prevention Week. CEV Week activities are coordinated by Safe Start/Illinois Safe From the Start community partners and the Chicago Office of Violence Prevention. Formerly known as Chicago Safe Start Week, the theme this year is: Every Person, Every Day! Campaign materials include the Mayor's Proclamation, calendar of events, and e-Brief.

March 22-26, 2010 is National Youth Violence Prevention Week. Youth violence refers to harmful behaviors that can start early and continue into young adulthood. The young person may be a victim, an offender, or a witness to the violence. While violence impacts people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity or religion, violence disproportionately affects young people. Some violent acts-such as bullying, slapping, or hitting-can cause more emotional harm than physical harm. Others, such as robbery, assault, or rape, can lead to serious injury or even death. For more information, visit the National Youth Violence Prevention Center.

Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-09, U.S. Department of Justice Press Release, 2009. This report provides national-level and facility-level estimates and experiences of sexual victimization by type of activity, including youth-on-youth sexual contact, staff sexual misconduct, and level of coercion.

The Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, has published a new edition of its "Guide for Preventing and Responding to School Violence." Designed to assist local communities, the guide describes the roles of the school, community, families, law enforcement, and justice system in working together to take effective action to address school violence.

Attorney General Holder, Secretary Duncan Meet With Youth Leaders, Parents on Teen Dating Violence

Highlights of Profile of Intimate Partner Violence Cases in Large Urban Counties
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, October 2009.
Press Release
Report

Attorney General's speech to the American Academy of Pediatrics on October 19, 2009
View Attorney General Holder's remarks on youth violence in the C-SPAN Video Library (Discussion of Safe Start begins three minutes into the video.)
Transcript of Attorney General Holder's Remarks

October 7, 2009 press release for publication of Children's Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey
Press Release
Report on the Survey (PDF)

Department of Justice Releases OJJDP Bulletin Summarizing Survey Results on Children's Exposure to Violence
OJJDP News @ a Glance, September-October 2009