Welcome to the Safe Start Center e-newsletter. In this issue, we feature news articles about the deepening understanding of the effects of exposure to violence on children's brains, smart phone apps for adults and teens about teen dating violence prevention, and a new series of publications for mental health workers in the juvenile justice system. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please contact us at info@safestartcenter.org or 1-800-865-0965. Be sure to follow us on our blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for daily updates and links to resources.
IN THIS ISSUE
Current news related to the impact of exposure to family and community violence on children and their families
Print and media resources for professionals and families
Tools/Resources
Guides, curricula, and e-learning
Policy/Advocacy
Local, state and Federal initiatives and information for policy advocates
Studies/Reports
Research studies, fact sheets, descriptive analyses, and reports on current issues and practices
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CEV IN THE NEWS
Department of Justice and MacArthur Foundation Support Juvenile Justice Reform
OJJDP, 2012
On January 26, 2012, the Department of Justice announced a new private-public partnership between the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to provide $2 million to support innovative and effective reforms in treatment and services for youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Four organizations were selected to provide training in the following areas: mental health screening and risk/needs assessment; mental health training; disproportionate minority contact reduction; and juvenile justice and child welfare system integration.
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Written Testimony Sought for the Defending Childhood Task Force Hearing in Miami
U.S. Department of Justice, 2012
The Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence held the third of four public hearings in Miami on March 19-21. This hearing focused 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.
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"
Child Response Initiative" Addresses Exposure to Violence at the Local Level
National League of Cities, Nation's Cities Weekly, February 2012
Guilford County, NC, including the city of Greensboro, is the 18th municipality in the U.S. to adopt the "Child Response Initiative" model of agency collaboration. The North Carolina Trauma Provider Network, a network of 10 mental health providers and 30 community-based agencies, meets monthly with Greensboro police to address the needs of children exposed to domestic violence.
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Rhode Island Team Recognized for Their Trauma-Informed Approach to Child
Safety
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), 2012
At its annual conference, CWLA recognized the Rhode Island early response model, an interagency collaboration between mental health, law enforcement and child welfare to provide a 24/7 response to children and families exposed to trauma. A component of the Providence, RI initiative was funded by OJJDP from 2005-2010 as a Safe Start Promising Approaches grantee.
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How Child Abuse Primes the Brain for Future Mental Illness
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012
In the largest study yet to use brain scans to show the effects of child abuse, Harvard University researchers have found specific changes in key regions in and around the hippocampus in the brains of young adults who were maltreated or neglected in childhood. These changes may leave victims more vulnerable to depression, addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the study suggests. View the journal article.
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The Genetic Ripple Effect of Hardship
Wall Street Journal Online, February 28, 2012
According to a growing body of research, stressful events and drug use appear to alter how and when genes are turned off and on. Some environmental influences create such long-lasting and significant biological changes that they can be passed on to affect the health of the next generation. This mechanism helps to explain how factors like poor parenting and stress in early life degrade physical and mental health later on.
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Apps Against Abuse
U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice, and the Office of the Vice President, 2012
In an effort to address teen dating violence, a Federal coalition issued a challenge for "Apps Against Abuse," which called for entries for mobile technology that help prevent teen dating violence and connect teens to needed resources. The winners are Love is Not Abuse (for parents) and TD411 (for teens). Read the Safe Start Center blog post for more information on technology and teen dating violence prevention.
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Keeping Young Athletes Safe From Sexual Abuse
Healthfinder.gov, U.S. Department of Human Services, 2012
Parents who want to protect their kids from sexual abuse need to reassess the notion of "stranger danger" — the belief that children should be on guard around strangers because they're most likely to be molested by someone unknown to them, experts say. In truth, at least four of five cases of child sexual abuse are perpetrated by someone who knows the child, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Funding Opportunities:
Research and Evaluation on Children Exposed to Violence
National Institute of Justice, March 8, 2012
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for multidisciplinary research and evaluation related to childhood exposure to violence. In particular, NIJ is seeking proposals that address resilience, polyvictimization, electronic aggression, or justice system responses to children identified as exposed to violence. Application deadline is May 22, 2012.
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Services and Training Related to Polyvictimization
Office of Victims of Crime (OVC), February 29, 2012
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Victims of Crime will make up to six awards of $250,000 each to programs aiming to identify and address gaps in services to or awareness of victims who suffer from polyvictimization, and to propose to remedy those gaps through training and/or technical assistance. Application deadline is May 15, 2012.
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Family Violence Prevention and Services Grants for Domestic Violence Shelters: Grants to Native American Tribes
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, February 17, 2012
The purpose of these grants is to assist Tribes in efforts to increase public awareness about primary and secondary prevention of family violence domestic violence, and dating violence. The grants also may be used to provide immediate shelter and supportive services to victims and their dependents. Application deadline is April 20, 2012.
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Events:
"Bully" Documentary in Theatres March 30
A new documentary movie called "Bully" is set to premiere on March 30th in theaters around the country. The film takes an in-depth look at the bullying crisis taking place in our schools and communities. Current plans are for the film to receive an "R" rating, which would make it unavailable for viewing by those under 17.
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Call for Poster Submissions: 17th International Conference on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma
Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, San Diego, CA, September 9-12, 2012
This conference is for professionals interested in international issues surrounding violence, abuse, and trauma. Conference topics include new research, improving collaborations and networking, conducting research and training, direct service and program evaluation.
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Conferences:
Safe Start Promising Approaches Grantee Meeting
OJJDP, Washington, DC, April 11-13, 2012
Representatives from the 10 current Safe Start grantees will meet to share information on the evidence-based interventions they are implementing to prevent and reduce the impact of violence on children and their families.
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Blueprints for Violence Prevention Conference
OJJDP, San Antonio, TX, April 11-13, 2012
This conference is for juvenile justice professionals to learn science-based information on effective youth violence, delinquency and drug prevention programs. Experts will provide education and tools for implementation success, sustainability, policy, and effective leadership..
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National Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect
Children's Bureau, Washington, DC, April 16-20, 2012
This annual conference provides an opportunity to exchange information on evidence-based approaches to designing, implementing, and managing programs and services, as well as effective prevention practices, use of effective technology, current research, and next steps for the child protection field.
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National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
Children's Bureau, Washington, DC, April 16-20, 2012
At this conference, grassroots community representatives, child welfare professionals and tribal leaders will discuss successful strategies for child welfare and provide opportunities for peer-to-peer networking. Workshops include children's mental health service delivery, financing children's services and the latest research on the well-being of American Indian/Alaska Native children.
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National Smart Start Conference
The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Greensboro, NC, April 30-May 3, 2012
This conference focuses on early education systems and strategies for improving the quality of and access to early childhood services. Workshop topics include early care and education, mental health, family support, governance and administration, leadership development, public policy, advocacy, and research.
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National Pathways to Adulthood Conference
University of Oklahoma OUTREACH National Resource Center for Youth Services, Denver, CO, May 4-6, 2012
Goals for the conference are to present innovative practices across systems, successful public-private collaborations, strategies for serving youth and family members, and networking opportunities. Topics include housing, education, employment, health, transportation and permanence.
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National CASA Conference
National CASA Association, Washington, DC, June 9-12, 2012
This conference is for court-appointed special advocates and guardians ad litem, board members, volunteers, judges, attorneys, and other child welfare professionals. Workshops include best advocacy practices, public policy, resource and capacity development, volunteer skill building and youth voice, equity, inclusion and identity.
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National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) Annual Conference
NCJFCJ, New Orleans, July 15-18, 2012
The mission of this conference is to provide cutting-edge information and tools to courts, lawyers, and other professionals interested in juvenile and family justice, and to improve case processing and outcomes for children, youth, and families. Workshop topics include child abuse and neglect, trauma, custody and visitation, high conflict divorce, juvenile justice, domestic violence, and substance abuse.
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Pursuing Justice for Children and the Poor With Urgency and Persistence: A Community and Youth Empowerment Conference
Children's Defense Fund, Cincinnati, OH, July 22-25, 2012
The conference will present the latest research findings, best practices, community-building models, and empowerment strategies to meet the needs of children and the poor, including a focus on diminishing child and youth involvement in the juvenile justice system.
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Training Institutes 2012
National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center, Austin, TX, September 10-12, 2012
This conference is designed to increase knowledge about parent-child attachment in families affected by HIV, substance abuse, and trauma. Workshops include evidence-based programs and promising practices to promote attachment and reduce the effects of trauma in families, effective ways to mitigate institutional barriers, and programs and policies designed to promote attachment in culturally diverse and immigrant families.
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Strengthening Connections Between Parents and Children Affected by Substance Abuse, HIV and Trauma
National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center, Austin, TX, September 10-12, 2012
This conference is designed to increase knowledge about parent-child attachment in families affected by HIV, substance abuse, and trauma. Workshops include evidence-based programs and promising practices to promote attachment and reduce the effects of trauma in families, effective ways to mitigate institutional barriers, and programs and policies designed to promote attachment in culturally diverse and immigrant families.
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RESEARCH TO PRACTICE
Trauma-Informed Care for Children Exposed to Violence: Tips for Pregnancy Prevention Programs
Safe Start Center, 2012
Pregnancy prevention programs can be great allies for adolescents who have been exposed to violence and other traumatic events. By keeping in mind the principles of youth development, pregnancy prevention program staffs can play a pivotal role in preventing and reducing the negative impacts of that exposure. This tip sheet provides a rationale for addressing exposure to violence and recommends strategies to make programs trauma-informed.
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Trauma-Informed Care for Children Exposed to Violence: Tips for Parent Education Programs
Safe Start Center, 2012
Many families involved in parent education programs are likely to have been exposed to violence. Exposure to violence seriously impairs the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children leading to seriously negative outcomes and a very large cost to society. This tip sheet provides warning signs of exposure at different ages, addresses what parent educators can do to help parents, and lists parent education programs that have achieved success in improving parenting and child outcomes related to children's exposure to violence.
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FEATURED RESOURCE
A Primer for Mental Health Practitioners Working with Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System
Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health, 2012
This publication is the first of a series of three publications for mental health practitioners working with youth involved in the juvenile justice system. It provides an overview of challenges and solutions, emerging research and practices, the conceptualization of trauma and its impact on youth in the justice system, and implications for policy and practice.
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New Directions for Behavioral Health Funding and Implications for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System
Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health, 2012
This publication explores potential Federal, State, and private sources of funding to meet the behavioral health needs of youth involved in the juvenile justice system across the full spectrum of involvement. The author discusses important steps to improve access to and care for these youth, including the need for provider, youth, and family input into the reform process
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Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Justice Systems: Identifying Mental Health Needs and Risk of Reoffending
Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health, 2012
This publication explains why screening and assessment for mental health needs and risk of reoffending are critical for juvenile justice agencies and their partners when planning the most effective course of action for individual youth. The author explores a wide range of validated screening and assessment tools frequently used in facility- and community-based juvenile justice settings.
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ONLINE RESOURCES/PUBLICATIONS
Tools/Resources
Guides, curricula and online training
National Indigenous Women's Resources Center
NIWRC is a national resource to enhance the safety of native women and their children. The center is collaborating with the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health to develop culturally appropriate educational materials for tribal domestic violence programs and shelters on trauma-informed practices.
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National Girls Institute Website
OJJDP established the National Girls Institute in 2010 to develop and provide a range of training, technical assistance and other resources to local, tribal and private organizations serving girls and young women in, or at risk of entering, the juvenile justice system. Through this new website, professionals can submit requests for training and technical assistance and access current information about best practices, gender-responsive tools, research and related events.
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Project Youth Safety
OJJDP, 2012
Project Youth Safety is a comprehensive multimedia, multicultural public awareness initiative promoting child and youth safety at the community level. The website highlights campaigns on different child/youth safety issues in six different markets that address the following topics: youth in crisis, impact of domestic violence on youth, child sexual abuse, teen dating violence, child abuse and neglect, and cell phone safety.
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NCTSN Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma Speaker Series
National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2012
NCTSN webinars are free and open to the public. You must first register to access event descriptions and join the presentations. The following topics will be presented in spring 2012:
- Zero to Six Child Welfare Speaker Series (check web page for dates/times):
Visitation for young traumatized children; Transition issues for young foster children; Self-care for those working with young traumatized children.
- Military Families Series:
Educational and research initiatives (May 1); Child abuse and neglect in military families (June 19).
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Webinars on Trauma, Domestic Violence and Mental Health
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health, 2012
The following webinars are accessible online:
- Understanding Trauma & Mental Health in the Context of Domestic Violence: An Integrated Framework for Healing and Social Change
- Trauma-Informed Reflective Practice
- What is Trauma-Informed Work and Why Should We Care?
Past webinars on related topics can also be accessed on this Web page.
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Webinars on Trauma-Informed Services for Indigenous Families
National Indigenous Women's Resource Center and National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health, 2012
The following webinar is posted online: Teen Dating Violence: Working in Indian Communities.
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Policy/Advocacy
Local, State and Federal initiatives and information for advocates
The Economic Burden of Child Maltreatment in the United States and Implications for Prevention
CDC, 2012
A recent CDC study based on 2008 data found the total lifetime estimated financial costs associated with one year of confirmed cases of child maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect) is approximately $124 billion. Note: CDC announced an error in one of the reports used to generate this data. View the correction.
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Public Health Contributions to Violence Prevention
Prevention Institute, 2012
This fact sheet highlights how public health adds value to any local initiative addressing violence and complements criminal justice approaches. Public health tools and methodology bring a balanced approach to community action by employing such techniques as researching and implementing effective models, ensuring that prevention is part of the solution, providing data to inform action, and engaging the community in transformational solutions.
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Studies/Reports
Research studies, fact sheets, descriptive analyses and reports on current issues and practices
Articles About Trauma-Informed Care for Homeless Youth
National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY), The Exchange, 2012
In this issue of The Exchange, the authors provide an introduction to trauma-informed care, an approach that asks, "What's happened to you?" rather than, "What's wrong with you?" In the first article, the authors explore how a center for homeless and street youth, Youth on Fire, conducted a complete review of procedures and staff training to become trauma-informed. Other articles in the series explore sharing of power between provider and client, and the experience of a survivor of abuse and neglect.
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Child Maltreatment 2010
Children's Bureau, DHHS, 2012
This report consists of State-level data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and includes information on screened-in referrals of abuse and neglect made to child protective services agencies, the children involved, types of maltreatment, CPS responses, child and caregiver risk factors, services, and perpetrators. A national average rate of 43.8 referrals per 1,000 children was computed based on these data.
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Gang Homicides: Five U.S. Cities, 2003–2008
CDC, 2012
Currently, there are no surveillance systems that collect the kind of detailed data researchers need to better understand what gang homicide prevention efforts would work best. This new CDC study is the first to compare gang homicides to other types of homicide using city-level data from the CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS).
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OJJDP Updates Statistical Briefing Book's Data Analysis Tools
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), 2012
The Statistical Briefing Book (SBB) and online tools provide easy access to statistics on a variety of juvenile justice topics. Developed by the National Center for Juvenile Justice, the SBB provides information about juvenile crime and victimization and about youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
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Updated Fact Sheet on Domestic Violence
OJP, 2011
This fact sheet is part of a new series providing background, fast facts, OJJDP response, and resources.
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Teen Dating Violence Prevention Resource Guide (E-newsletter Special Issue)
Children's Safety Network (CSN), 2012
CSN developed this resource guide, which features links to data, research articles, policy and legislation, national organizations that work to eliminate teen dating violence and assist victims, and organizations and projects that focus on LGBTQ and minority issues related to dating violence.
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Innovations in Practice: Preliminary Evidence for Effective Family Engagement in Treatment for Child Traumatic Stress—Trauma Systems Therapy Approach to Preventing Dropout
Adolescent Mental Health, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2012, pp. 58–61
In this study, the authors explore the effectiveness of trauma systems therapy (TST) in engaging and retaining traumatized children and their families in mental health treatment. TST addresses child traumatic stress by embedding strategies for outreach and engagement at the organizational and individual treatment level. At the 3-month assessment, 90 percent of TST participants were still in treatment, whereas only 10 percent of "care as usual" participants remained. This approach can be adapted to treatment in schools, social services agencies, and other settings.
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RELATED LINKS
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CONTACT US
We invite your comments and suggestions. Please contact us at info@safestartcenter.org or 1-800-865-0965.
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The Safe Start Center e-Newsletter is distributed by the Safe Start Center under Contract No. GS-10F-0285K with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Information and points of view in this newsletter do not imply endorsement by OJJDP, OJP, DOJ, or the Safe Start Center.
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