In 1999, the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice embarked on a unique and unprecedented collaboration, creating the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative in response to rising concerns about youth violence and school safety. This Federal grant, available to communities across the country, recognizes that violence among young people is caused by a multitude of factors—including early childhood, family life, mental health, and substance abuse issues—and that no single action can be counted on to prevent it. As such, the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative takes a broad approach, drawing on the best practices and the latest thinking in education, justice, social services, and mental health to help communities take action.

Safe Schools/Healthy Students has provided financial and technical support to more than 300 schools and communities in urban, suburban, rural, and tribal areas nationwide. In turn, grantees partner with local school districts, law enforcement agencies, public and private mental health services organizations, and community-based organizations. The result is a coordinated, cooperative effort that recognizes the complexity of youth violence.

Additionally, grantees use programs and services with a proven track record of success to help them achieve their goals. These programs are also known as “evidence based” programs because of the extensive research that has proven their effectiveness. These evidence-based programs support children by fostering greater self-confidence, creating meaningful activities for youth, and promoting mentoring and community service. They might include efforts to promote students’ cooperation with their peers, set standards of behavior, develop healthy student/family relationships, increase parental involvement in schools, build emotional resiliency, and strengthen communication and problem-solving skills.