Violence Prevention and Intervention

Providing a safe, healthy and supportive learning environment is key to assisting students in their academic and career success. Preventing school violence requires addressing factors at the individual, relational, community societal levels. Research shows that prevention efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and students can reduce violence and improve the school environment.

Below you will find examples of curricula, best practices and academic based-research. At no time should this list be considered exhaustive, as other evidence-based curricula, programs and practices may exist that are not posted here. These programs may be considered to assist schools and districts in developing and maintaining safe, supportive and healthy learning environments.

Evidence Based Programs, Curricula and Practices

Resources that have identified evidence based violence prevention and intervention efforts include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Preventing School Violence, Preventing Teen Dating Violence
• The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, School Climate Topics
• The University of Colorado Boulder, Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development

Additional Federal and State Resources

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Related Information and Resources

• Emergency Management Planning
• Mental and Behavioral Health and Wellness Supports
• Safe Schools for LGBTQ Students
• Safe and Supportive Schools

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response

• CDC, Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
• Children's Trust, Massachusetts, Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
  • Guidelines and Tools for the Development of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Intervention Plans by Youth Serving Organizations in Massachusetts (insert PDF)
  • Safe Kids Thrive Prevention Tool Kit
• Massachusetts Children's Alliance (MACA), Child Advocacy Centers
• Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF), Child Abuse and Neglect

Commercial and Sexual Exploitation

• Massachusetts Office for Victims Assistance (MOVA), Human Trafficking & Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Services
• Office of Juvenile and Delinquency Prevention (OJJPD), Sexual Exploitation of Children | Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (ojp.gov)
• Youth.gov Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors
• Youth Human Trafficking Prevention

Hate Crimes Prevention and Intervention

• Attorney General's Guidance to Schools on Hate and Bias Incidents
• Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes, The Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes: 2019 Education Recommendations

Youth Violence

• CDC, Preventing Teen Dating Violence
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
  • Child and Youth Prevention Services
  • Promoting Healthy Relationships for Youth

Additional Resources

• Office of the Child Advocate

For More Information:

For more information or assistance, please contact:
Anne Gilligan
(781) 338-6309 Office
(781) 873-9515 Mobile

Last Updated: May 25, 2022