National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention

Highlights from the School-Based Mental Health Teleconference
Notes from the October 11th, School-Based Mental Health teleconference hosted by the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention and facilitated by Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor of the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA are now available on the web. The teleconference provided grantees with resources and information about school-based mental health and the services at the UCLA Center. Dr. Adelman and Dr. Taylor also addressed questions from participants on the call. To view the notes, please visit http://learn.aero.und.edu/pages.asp?PageID=88861.

Communications and Sustainability Conference November 15–17, 2006
The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Communications Team and the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention will host a two–day conference, Celebrating Success: Communications for Sustainability for SS/HS 2004 and 2005 grantees followed by a one–day conference, National Center Sustainability Planning for 2004 grantees. Conference topics include exploring funding streams, utilizing evaluation data to create program sustainability, and engaging partners and stakeholders with effective communications. For more information, please visit
http://sshs.samhsa.gov/communications/Institute/november2006/
agenda.aspx.

Training and Coaching
A team at the University of South Florida reviewed and synthesized research on implementing evidence-based practices and programs. They found that

• Although staff training on using evidence-based programs is essential, training alone does not result in effective practice and the desired outcomes.
• Training must be combined with ongoing consultation and coaching to produce positive outcomes (e.g. changes in the behavior of students).
• Effective consultation and coaching CAN compensate for inadequate training, but effective training CANNOT compensate for inadequate consultation and coaching.

This Research Note was drawn from Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature by Dean Fixsen, Sandra Naoom, Karen Blasé, Robert Friedman, and Frances Wallace, published by the National Implementation Research Network at the University of South Florida (http://nirn.fmhi.usf.edu/aboutus/01_whatisnirn.cfm). The full report is available at http://nirn.fmhi.usf.edu/resources/detail.cfm?resourceID=31.

This section highlights just a few updates from the prevention field. Please go to http://library.promoteprevent.org for more news items and resources.

Responding to Violence: White House Conference on School Safety
In response to the recent school shootings in Colorado, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, the White House held a conference on October 10, 2006 to address violence in schools. Experts, law enforcement officials, schools, communities, and families were invited to discuss best practices for safer schools, share lessons learned, and offer practical solutions. The conference held three panels: Preventing Violence in Schools, Prepared Schools and Communities are Safer, and Helping Communities Heal and Recover. For more information, please visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/education/schoolsafety/.

Improving Grant Accountability and Performance
The Government Accountability Office published Grants Management: Enhancing Performance Accountability Provisions Could Lead to Better Results, a report on the fiscal responsibility of federal grants. The report identifies five key strategies to grantor and grantee efficacy and accountability and addresses design and implementation challenges. The report also advocates for better communication and information sharing between the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), agencies, and grantees. Read the full report at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d061046.pdf.

Child Care and Early Childcare Education for Families with Limited English Proficiency
A report from the Government Accountability Office Child Care and Early Childhood Education: More Information Sharing and Program Review by HHS Could Enhance Access for Families with Limited English Proficiency examines the challenges faced by children of parents with limited English Proficiency. The report addresses families’ ability to access child care programs and assistance and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responsiveness to the needs of this population. Visit http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06807.pdf to read the full report.

The Grant Opportunities page is updated regularly with new announcements of available public and private grant competitions. Here is just one of the listings you'll find:

Title: Striving Readers Program
Funder: U.S Dept. of Education
Description: The purpose of the Striving Readers program is to raise the reading achievement levels of middle and high school students in Title I eligible schools with significant numbers of students reading below grade level. The program supports new comprehensive reading initiatives or expansion of existing initiatives that improve the quality of literacy instruction across the curriculum, provide intensive literacy interventions to struggling adolescent readers, and help to build a strong, scientific research base for identifying and replicating strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills.
Award: varies
Eligibility: Eligible applicants for Striving Readers include LEAs that have schools that are eligible to receive funds under Part A of Title I of the ESEA, pursuant to section 1113 of the ESEA, and serve students in one or more grades in grades 6 through 12.
Deadline: N/A
For more information: http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/index.html

We regularly add to a detailed listing of conferences and events occurring within the National Center and across the nation. For example,

Date: November 29 - December 2, 2006
Location: Reno, Nevada
Title: Community Education: Raising the Odds. Linking Schools and Communities for Success
Sponsor: National Community Education Association (NCEA)
Description: The conference will provide a showcase for community education as a way for people to enhance their lives as well as their communities and schools through learning and collaboration. You will learn of opportunities for state and local community members, schools, and other organizations to become partners in addressing educational and community concerns. Community schools are an integral part of the delivery system for community education. By linking schools and community, community education is raising the odds for the development and sustainability of flourishing communities, for increasing strong community school partnerships, and for providing the important ingredients necessary for families and children to thrive and learn.
Web site: http://ncea.webaloo.com/default.aspx