ED’s OSHS PREVENTION NEWS DIGEST Office of Safe and Healthy Students JULY 19, 2013 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 27 | |
In This Issue
4. One in Nine U.S. High School Seniors Report Using Synthetic Marijuana in the Past Year 5. HHS/CDC Finds Youth Homicide Reached 30-Year Low in 2010
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Contact Us: If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at: Sharon Burton Editor | Webinar To Explore Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools On July 24, 2013, at 3 p.m. ET, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services will present the Webinar “Transforming School Climate Through Trauma Informed Practices.” This 90-minute Webinar, the seventh in a series from the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, will examine the impact of discipline policies and strategies on student behavior, staff morale, and school safety; how some discipline responses can traumatize or re-traumatize youth and trauma-informed alternatives; and the impact of trauma on the behavior of youth with disabilities. Registration is available online. Get more information on the Supportive School Discipline Webinar series Source: U.S. Department of Education New “It Gets Better” Bullying Prevention Video Available Online The U.S. Department of Education has posted a new online video as part of the international It Gets Better Project, which inspires hope for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth facing bullying in schools. The video offers personal stories from Department of Education staff who have been bullied, discusses ways to support students experiencing bullying, and highlights the importance of addressing this problem to effect change now to protect LGBT students. Learn more about the national effort to address bullying and resources to prevent bullying Source: U.S. Department of Education Evidence-Based Screening Information From Three HHS Agencies On July 12, 2013, three U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies—the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)—have come together to issue a letter to state directors of child welfare, Medicaid, and mental health authorities encouraging them to strengthen their efforts to address complex trauma among children and youth known to child welfare. The joint letter from ACF, CMS, and SAMHSA provides useful and actionable information about Federal authority and funding streams, strategies for coordinating cross-system efforts, and good practices for integrating evidence-based screening, assessment, and interventions related to complex trauma. Download the Letter [PDF – 136 KB] Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services One in Nine U.S. High School Seniors Report Using Synthetic Marijuana in the Past Year Marijuana and synthetic marijuana are the most prevalent illicit drugs used by 12th graders, according to data from the most recent national Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey. Slightly more than one-third (36.4%) of high school seniors reported using marijuana in the past year, including 11.3% who reported using synthetic marijuana, compared with less than 8% for all other illicit drugs (see figure below). These estimates of synthetic marijuana use among U.S. high school students are nearly identical to those found by another 2012 survey of high school students (see CESAR FAX, Volume 22, Issue 17). The MTF survey also found that approximately one-fourth (24%) of 12th graders perceive a great risk for harm in trying synthetic marijuana once or twice, and one-third (33%) think there is a great risk for harm in using the drug occasionally, compared to 15% and 21%, respectively, for marijuana. Previous research on high school students has shown that students’ perceived risk is related to their likelihood of using a drug (see CESAR FAX, Volume 20, Issue 3). Adapted by the Center for Substance Abuse Research from National Institute of Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use, 1975-2012, Volume I: Secondary School Students, 2013. Available online at http://www.monitoringthefuture.org//pubs/monographs/mtf-vol1_2012.pdf. Source: Center for Substance Abuse Research HHS/CDC Finds Youth Homicide Reached 30-Year Low in 2010 The homicide rate for youth, ages 10 to 24, in the U.S. reached a 30-year low in 2010, according to a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report. The report also shows that the promising decline in youth homicide rates has slowed in recent years, particularly for groups at high-risk for violence. Youth violence takes a tremendous toll on young people. Even with the progress that has been made, homicide ranks in the top three leading causes of death for young Americans in this age group. It also results in an estimated $9 billion in lost productivity and medical costs each year. Research Findings
Focus on Prevention These findings highlight the need for increased use of youth violence prevention strategies and continued work to stop youth violence before it first occurs. Primary prevention strategies for schools, families, and neighborhoods remain critical, particularly approaches that engage high-risk youth. Additional Information Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report CDC's Web Site on Youth Violence Prevention Funding Opportunities Grants for At-Risk Youth CVS Caremark Community Grants Source: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools |