May 2023
Latest News
Access Resources for Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month emphasizes the importance of mental health and wellness in the lives of all Americans, including children and adolescents. Schools are critical partners in promoting youth mental health and can implement a variety of programs and services to support students facing mental health challenges. Learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month this May and access resources on mental health and school safety here.
National Survey Results Provide Insights into Health Risk Behaviors Among High School Students
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results. These results are a component of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, which includes a set of surveys that track behaviors that can lead to poor health in students grades 9 through 12. Administrators and educators can use YRBS data to better understand the challenges and risks students are facing. Access the survey’s results here.
DOJ Releases Youth Violence Prevention Program Solicitation
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the FY 2023 Youth Violence Prevention Program, a funding opportunity that will help recipients develop and enhance strategies to prevent youth violence, including youth gang involvement and youth gang or group violence. The solicitation is focused on youth who are at risk of committing violence, and applications are due to Grants.gov by June 12 and to JustGrants by June 26. Learn more about this funding opportunity here.
HHS Announces Initiative to Promote Resilience and Advance Youth Mental Health
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced the HHS Children and Youth Resilience Challenge, a new initiative that will provide $1 million in funding for innovative community-led solutions to promote resilience in children and adolescents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters, and promote positive strategies to help children and adolescents thrive. The Resilience Challenge will include a proposal phase and a pilot phase for selected finalists. Proposals are due by July 7, and an informational webinar will be held on May 18. Find more information about the Resilience Challenge here.
DHS Releases Updated Fact Sheet on Efforts to Combat Child Exploitation and Abuse
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) latest fact sheet details the Department’s efforts, support, and resources in fighting child exploitation and abuse and outlines what you can do in your school and community. Read the full fact sheet here, and find school-specific resources and information to prevent child exploitation on SchoolSafety.gov.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (Deadline: May 18)
Homeland Security Grant Program (Deadline: May 18)
Nonprofit Security Grant Program (Deadline: May 18)
Youth Violence Prevention Program (Deadline: June 12)
Children and Youth Resilience Challenge (Deadline: July 7)
Project SERV (Ongoing)
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Grants Finder Tool for additional school safety-related funding opportunities.
Events, Webinars, and Conferences
Many Pathways to Children's Mental Health (May 12) – This webinar, hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Recovery in support of Children’s Mental Health Week, will address research about family-to-family peer support and how parent peer support can be implemented. It will also draw upon personal anecdotes for strategies.
School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program and Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grant Program (May 15) – This webinar, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, is the sixth in a series highlighting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included $1 billion for mental health programs that strengthen the mental health professional pipeline and improve access to in-school mental health supports. The session will highlight the essential role that school-based mental health systems serve in supporting students’ overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being and their ability to fully engage in learning and provide information and resources on how to develop high quality, school-based mental health systems that promote positive school and classroom climates that affirm students’ multifaceted identities and value their cultural and linguistic knowledge.
The Role of Athletic Directors in School Safety Efforts (May 17) – This webinar, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and its Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center, will highlight the role of athletic directors in school safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness.
FY 2023 Youth Violence Prevention Solicitation Webinar (May 18) – This webinar, hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the OJJDP National Training and Technical Assistance Center, will assist eligible applicants interested in applying for the OJJDP FY 2023 Youth Violence Prevention Solicitation. The event will include a general overview of the grant program and the application process and will include a Q&A opportunity for participants.
2023 National Capital Region School Preparedness Summit (August 1) – This in-person event, hosted by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, with planning and coordination support provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Office of National Capital Region Coordination, will feature presentations and training from subject matter experts in mitigating vulnerabilities within schools and reunification training. The event is intended for heads of non-public schools, public school leadership, and local emergency managers. Space is limited and registration closes on June 15.
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Events Page for additional school safety-related webinars, conferences, and more.
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School Safety Resources
Mental Health Resources
Mental Health Resources for K-12 Schools
This new infographic shares mental health strategies and resources for K-12 schools to support and promote student mental health. It includes available guides, tools, trainings, and programs that schools and school districts can use to implement mental health programs and initiatives within their community.
School and Campus Health
This webpage provides information and resources to assist efforts to promote mental health and substance use prevention in schools and on campuses and to provide safe learning environments.
Additional School Safety Resources
Averting Targeted School Violence Video
This video highlights the findings and implications of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center's research on school violence prevention based upon the study, "Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools," which examined 67 disrupted plots against K-12 schools. It describes the thinking and behavior of the plotters, as well as their attack plans, how the plots were discovered, and how this information can be utilized to prevent violence in schools.
Creating Safer Schools: A Systems-Based Approach to School Physical Security
This article explains what a systems-based approach to layered physical security entails and how it can support schools in creating safer and more secure learning environments.
Visit SchoolSafety.gov for additional resources to support school safety and security efforts.
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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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