September 2022
Latest News
CISA, FBI, MS-ISAC Release Joint Cybersecurity Advisory on #StopRansomware: Vice Society
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) recently released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory to disseminate indicators of compromise and tactics, techniques, and procedures associated with Vice Society actors. Vice Society uses ransomware attacks against the education sector to gain access to, and threaten exposure of, sensitive personal information regarding students and staff for financial gain.
HHS Announces Awards in Youth Mental Health Grants and New Funding Opportunities for School-Based Mental Health Program
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, recently announced that it awarded $40.22 million in youth mental health grants throughout the month of August. HHS also announced $47.6 million in new grant funding opportunities developed from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The grants and funding opportunities are part of HHS’ latest effort to address the nation’s mental health crisis, including its impact on children.
Help Protect Your School Community on #SeeSayDay
September 25 is “If You See Something, Say Something®” Awareness Day, also known as #SeeSayDay. Year-round, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign works to empower and educate the public – including school communities – on the importance of recognizing the signs of terrorism-related suspicious activity and how to report it to law enforcement. Learn more and spread the word this #SeeSayDay.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between 10 to 24. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about suicide as a serious public health problem and to highlight the role that everyone plays in preventing suicide. Communities can use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to find information and resources to strengthen suicide prevention and mental health crisis services.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Grants Finder Tool for additional school safety-related funding opportunities.
Events, Webinars, and Conferences
Protect Your Kids From Cyberbullying (September 19) – This National Cybersecurity Alliance webinar is designed to help parents, teachers, and school administrators identify, prevent, and stop cyberbullying to make the internet a kinder place for children.
Suicidal Awareness, Response, Safety Planning, and Postvention Learning Series (September 19 & 26) – The remaining two parts of this three-part series hosted by the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network will address school-appropriate response and screening practices for youth experiencing suicidal ideation and/or intent, as well as supports and safety planning after the child returns to school. Events include:
K-12 Data Security & Cybersecurity Summit (September 21) – This session hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center will cover how K-12 institutions can protect sensitive data, reduce the risk of disclosure, lower the impact to privacy, and ensure compliance with the law while navigating cyber changes in the wake of the pandemic.
Project Prevent Grant Application Technical Assistance Webinar (September 22) – The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) is conducting a FY 2022 competition for the Project Prevent grant program. OSSS, in partnership with the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, will host a webinar to assist applicants who might have questions about the application process and grant procedures.
5th Annual National Cybersecurity Summit (October 4) – CISA will host the 5th Annual National Cybersecurity Summit in partnership with the Atlanta University Center Consortium. The event will bring together cybersecurity and critical infrastructure stakeholders from around the world and provide a forum for meaningful conversations and collaboration about protecting physical and cyber infrastructure.
2022 Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health (October 13-14) – This conference hosted by the National Center for School Mental Health brings together leaders, practitioners, researchers, family members, advocates, and other stakeholders in the school mental health field to share the latest research and best practices. The event emphasizes a shared school-family-community agenda to bring high-quality, culturally responsive, and equitable evidence-based mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention to students and families as part of a multi-tiered system of supports.
Protecting Children in a Digital Age (October 20) – This virtual seminar hosted by the National Criminal Justice Training Center will help attendees understand the different types of technology used by children and teens, recognize the most common online issues that youth are likely to face, and focus on a proactive approach to digital safety.
2022 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security (November 1-3) – This three-day virtual event hosted by CISA will convene school safety experts, practitioners, and leaders from across the country to discuss current threats in school safety and explore research-informed strategies for addressing security challenges and risks in K-12 schools. Sessions will address issues such as targeted violence, violence prevention, cybersecurity, online safety, and physical security.
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Events Page for additional school safety-related webinars and conferences.
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New School Safety Resources
Emergency Planning and Preparedness Resources
Emergency Preparedness & School Safety for K-12 Schools Infographic
This infographic highlights the five mission areas of emergency preparedness and how schools can use them to take a comprehensive approach to school safety and emergency planning.
National Preparedness Month Activities and Resources
This Ready.gov webpage shares information on National Preparedness Month and resources to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies.
Other Resources
Monkeypox FAQs for Schools, Early Care and Education (ECE) Programs, and Other Settings Serving Children or Adolescents
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage answers frequently asked questions about monkeypox for administrators and staff of K-12 schools, ECE programs, and other community settings serving children or adolescents.
CISA School Safety Resources for Back to School
This blog post outlines CISA resources, tools, and community-wide stakeholder events to help K-12 schools and districts enhance and strengthen their safety and security.
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If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future newsletters, please contact us at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov. Follow @SchoolSafetyGov on Twitter for additional school safety updates.
SchoolSafety.gov Disclaimer
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of Education (ED), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do not endorse any individual, enterprise, product, or service. DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS do not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described in this communication. DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any information outside of those respective Departments, and the opinions expressed in any of these materials do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS.
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