Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Successful Implementation Stories from New Jersey Presented By: Dr. Chavonne Lenoir Perotte & Alaina Renson Princeton Center for Leadership Training

All students should have the skills and resources to develop safe and supportive relationships that provide meaningful connections and personal fulfillment

About Us Princeton Center for Leadership Training 30 year history working with schools Committed to academic achievement of students PCLT develops and disseminates evidence-based solutions that enable and inspire educators to more fully engage students Help students develop positive social, emotional, and health behaviors When students are immersed in safe and supportive environments where they feel connected to their school community through healthy and meaningful relationships with adults and peers, students come to believe that people in their schools value them and want them to succeed. Research on school connectedness establishes that these beliefs among students are important prerequisites to greater academic achievement, lower dropout rates, improved grades, fewer discipline referrals, fewer high-risk behaviors, and reduced incidents of bullying and violence. Our solutions enable and inspire students to become more engaged learners; develop positive social, emotional, and health behaviors; navigate pivotal transitions; and address the overwhelming stresses of youth. PCLT’s solutions take root within schools and make a lasting, sustainable impact that persists long after our involvement. In 2008, became a grantee of the RWJF, NJHI to implement Safe Dates into schools across New Jersey. During our time as a grantee, we formed a relationship with Hazelden and became the training distributors for the program

Our Partners in this Work Break the Cycle New Jersey Health Initiatives Hazelden NJPSA/FEA Break the Cycle – Break the Cycle believes everyone has the right to safe and healthy relationships. We are the leading, national nonprofit organization addressing teen dating violence. We work every day towards our mission to engage, educate and empower youth to build lives and communities free from domestic violence.; creating “Find Your Voice: Ending Violence”; partnered with Hazelden to create the comprehensive model, Respect Works! Hazelden – Preventing the start of negative behaviors in youth is an important foundation of every healthy family and community. Hazelden is the leading provider of evidence-based prevention curriculum to K-12 educators and other social-services organizations nationwide.; distributor of Safe Dates, Olweus, and Resptect Works! HiTOPS, Inc – HiTOPS’ mission is to promote adolescent health and well-being; health center and health education; partnered on design of Safe Dates Advanced Trainings; co-collaborator with PCLT NJHI – New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI) is a statewide grantmaking program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; supported eight grantees in NJ to implement Safe Dates from 2008-2011; continued partner in dating violence NJPSA/FEA -NJPSA is a professional association dedicated to the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning in New Jersey; Foundation for Educational Administration, Inc. (FEA) is a community of leaders that promotes sustained professional growth, supports research-based practices, and enhances the spectrum of leadership for the purpose of continuous school improvement. HiTOPS, Inc.

Prevalence One third Risky behaviors 43% 1 in 4 20-29% Approximately 1/3 adolescent girls in the U.S. is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner. Teen victims are more likely to smoke, use drugs, engage in unhealthy diet behaviors, engage in risky sexual behaviors, and attempt or consider suicide. Forty-three percent of dating violence victims report that the experience occurred on school grounds. One in four women in the U.S. reports experiencing violence by a current or former partner. 20-29% of all high school students report being psychologically abused in the last year.

NJ Law P.L. 2011, Chapter 64 – NJSA 18A: 35-4.23a, 18A:37-33 et. al Enacted on May 4, 2011 Implementation began on September 1, 2011

NJ Law All school districts must have a policy to prevent, respond, and educate Requires dating violence education in Health and Physical Education for grades 7-12 Schools must create policies to incorporate the following six components

Policy Requirements Dating violence will not be tolerated Establish dating violence reporting procedures Establish guidelines for responding to at- school incidents Establish discipline procedures Warning signs Information on available resources

NJ Department of Education Model Policy http://www.nj.gov/education/aps/cccs/chpe/dating/

Register at www.featraining.org Learn More May 21, 2012, 9:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Egg Harbor Township May 23, 2012, 9:00 -3:00 p.m. – Warren County Tech Register at www.featraining.org

8 Best Practices for Effective Dating Violence Prevention

Develop a school policy Create a Stakeholder Team Involve parents and other adult caretakers Utilize an interactive, comprehensive curriculum Provide comprehensive training for faculty Connect students with community resources Ensure consistency of implementation Evaluate your program

Successful Implementation in NJ: Application in Best Practices

Develop a School Policy New Jersey Department of Education created a Model Policy for schools to utilize Informational and capacity building trainings are available for local school districts

Work with Safe Dates: Application in Best Practices

Overview of Safe Dates Safe Dates consists of a 10-session curriculum with a play, poster contest, parent materials, and an evaluation questionnaire The developer found it is effective at reducing and preventing teen dating violence Recognized by SAMHSA and the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices Selected by NJHI as focus for 3-year grant cycle Utilized by many recipients of Start Strong, national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Develop a Stakeholder Team & Provide Comprehensive Training Built upon existing relationships with schools Provided initial implementation training Designed and facilitated Advanced Trainings utilizing relevant media topics Provided resources, including Respect Works!, a comprehensive model that includes Safe Dates, Ending Violence, model policy kit, Speak, Act, Change Provided on-site technical assistance

Involve Parents and Other Adults Some grantees invited community members to the performance of the play Involve the parents and community in the poster contest Hang posters around the school and ask for staff feedback

Utilize an interactive, comprehensive curriculum Safe Dates utilizes a variety of strategies to engage students: Interactive icebreakers and movement Class and smaller group discussions Brainstorming Role plays Dramatic readings Comprehensive curriculum includes: Defining caring relationships and dating abuse Helping Friends Gender Stereotypes Emotions Communication Dating Sexual Abuse

Connect Students with Community Resources Invited community organizations to Advanced Topics Training for instructors to learn more and connect Created a resource list for instructors, including websites and community organizations listed by county

Evaluate your program Student Surveys Student Focus Groups Identification of abusive behaviors Student Focus Groups Students remembered key themes Instructor Focus Groups Stakeholder Surveys 89% reported seeing changes in their school Many indicated an intent to sustain the program Student Surveys Identification of abusive behaviors Pre-Survey – 27% Post Survey – 53% Student Focus Groups Students remembered key themes Instructor Focus Groups Stakeholder Surveys 89% reported seeing changes in their school Many indicated an intent to sustain the program

Lessons Learned Comprehensive training is most effect when it incorporates feedback from instructors and involves relevant media events Having more individuals in a school involved in a program will ensure sustainability Schools will adapt programs to their community; provide technical assistance to ensure fidelity as well It is helpful to incorporate feedback from students, staff members, administrators, and community members

Resources Princeton Center for Leadership Training www.princetonleadership.org HiTOPS, Inc. - www.hitops.org Break the Cycle - www.breakthecycle.org Hazelden – www.hazelden.org NJSPA/FEA – www.njpsa.org NJHI – www.njhi.org

Questions?

Your Turn… What belief or value do you hold that will inspire you to action on this issue within your school community?