DECEMBER 2014, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 12
 

IN THIS ISSUE 

San Jose Plans for a Safer City 

Philadelphia Defuses Potential Crises 

Announcements and Upcoming Events 

• Funding Opportunities 

• Training Opportunities 

News and Views 

• Reports, Guidelines, and Briefs 

• News 

• Other Resources 

RETHINKING THE 

BEST-LAID PLANS 

by Dave Marsden 

Dwight Eisenhower once said, "In preparing for battle, 

I have always found that plans are useless, but 

planning is indispensable." President Eisenhower's 

message was clear: while plans can go awry, it's the 

planning process that allows one to accept what 

hasn't worked in the past, preserve what has, and 

develop a new strategy that can withstand an everchanging landscape. Ongoing planning is and will 

continue to be essential for the success of strategic 

plans that aim to reduce violence in the 15 National 

Forum on Youth Violence Prevention cities. 

San Jose, Calif., has accomplished this in spades. In 

1991, the city was struggling with an outbreak of gang 

violence. Without a working plan to address the 

problem, there was no clear way forward. Then-Mayor 

Susan Hammer didn't know how to remedy the 

fighting, but she was willing to put $1 million toward a 

fix, according to Angel Rios, director of the San Jose 

Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood 

Services (PRNS). Mayor Hammer convened a task 

force, and the group began with a simple white paper. 

It was the first publication of the emerging Mayor's 

Gang Prevention Task Force (MGPTF) and beginning 

FIRST AID HEALS A CITY 

by Carrie Nathans 

When the right person intervenes at the right time, 

there is a chance to turn even the most turbulent of 

tides. It's a combination of compassion and foresight 

that best precludes a mental health crisis—something 

many cities already know. In this spirit of prevention, 

Philadelphia, Pa.'s, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) 

program is serving its residents and its economy. 

MHFA is a program built on early intervention. It 

addresses behavioral health issues before they spiral 

—to prevent the pain and suffering that too often 

become unbearable. "It's useful to think of MHFA like 

first aid or CPR, because it's designed for the 

layperson," said Bryan Gibb, director of public 

education for the National Council for Behavioral 

Health. "The first time people show signs of a 

problem, we want someone to be able to assist them. 

It's about comfort and stability and de-escalation." 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of the iterative planning process that, even today, 

sustains efforts like the National Forum. Twenty-three 

years later, the MGPTF, housed at PRNS, is still going 

strong, with the consistent support of four mayors and 

a soon-to-be-sworn-in mayor, Sam Liccardo. 

Because the white paper was devoted to violence 

suppression through heightened law enforcement 

efforts, it was restricted in purpose. Similar to federal 

"Weed and Seed" efforts, it sought to restore stability 

and prosperity to a city affected by crime. Since that 

time, as MGPTF learned what worked, what didn't, 

and what showed great promise, the task force has 

produced four updated plans reflecting its progress 

and broadening the scope of its goals and objectives. 

Each plan has been titled in a way that clearly 

communicates the city's growth, development, and 

success. 

San Jose's first real strategic plan was approved in 

2005, and was in effect through 2008. Titled 

"Reclaiming Our Youth," the plan was "more than 

breaking up fights," said San Jose Forum Coordinator 

Mario Maciel. "It was [meant] to reclaim youth from 

the influence of gangs, and reconnect them to the 

community through cognitive approaches." The plan 

was updated in 2009 and retitled "Action, 

Collaboration, Transformation" or "ACT." ACT focused 

on transforming young people through collaborative 

service delivery from MGPTF partners and the 

community. It wasn't just about improved services. It 

was about transforming neighborhoods. 

In 2011, ACT 2.0 was released. With new goals to 

address public and private partnerships and reentry, 

the updated strategic plan expanded on previous 

objectives, but was by no means a departure from the 

original. ACT 2.0 also marked the beginning of the 

National Forum's influence on planning in San Jose, 

as reentry is one of the four core Forum strategies. 

"Trauma to Triumph" is the most recent iteration of 

San Jose's strategic plan for reducing youth violence. 

The influence of the Forum is clearly evident in this 

plan, as it emphasizes the findings of the Adverse 

Childhood Experiences Study conducted by the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a 

featured presentation at the 2013 Summit on 

Preventing Youth Violence). Trauma-informed care 

reflects growing awareness of childhood experiences 

of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction; the need to 

understand how these experiences influence 

behavior; and our dedication to respond to these 

effects with evidence-based practices and programs. 

To develop the latest plan, neighborhood input was 

sought at Town Hall meetings and through numerous 

focus groups. "Each community deserves a strategic 

plan with their own DNA in it," said Jose Salcido, 

Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 

14.[1] Among youth, anxiety and mood disorders strike 

46 percent; substance use disorders affect 11.4 

percent. But of the one in eight young people 

struggling with depression, only 30 percent receive 

treatment. The other 70 percent are youths who will 

not or cannot seek out treatment on their own. 

Mental Health First Aid is mobilizing teachers, 

parents, counselors, and first responders to help 

people in psychological distress. First launched in 

Australia, the program has proven efficacy— 

particularly in responding to individuals who are 

experiencing suicidal thoughts, acute stress, panic 

attacks, or psychotic behavior. One study[2] showed 

that in addition to providing more meaningful support, 

those trained in MHFA are drawing some of the 

stigma away from conditions like depression, anxiety, 

and addiction. With more than 300,000 Mental Health 

First Aiders globally, the initiative is a compelling way 

to maximize resources without relying solely on 

capital spending. 

Youth MHFA training targets kids from 12 to 18 and 

focuses on five different areas: depression, anxiety, 

psychosis, eating disorders, and substance abuse 

disorders. Before being certified, trainees must 

become "literate" about mental health, gaining 

understanding of various mental illnesses and 

addictions, how these conditions affect a person's 

daily life, and what helps individuals pull through. 

Then it's on to response. Through scenario-based 

instruction, role play, and videos, the course teaches 

ALGEE, a five-step action plan for assisting young 

people in crisis and noncrisis situations: 

A—Assess for risk of suicide or harm 

L—Listen nonjudgmentally 

G—Give reassurance and information 

E—Encourage appropriate professional help 

E—Encourage self-help and other support strategies 

MHFA teaches recovery and resiliency. It's not just 

about momentary relief. The idea is to instill hope— 

that things can get better and people can get well. "As 

far as a citywide effort, Philadelphia is the best 

example," said Gibb. The city's goal is well-equipped, 

confident communities that are ready and willing to 

assist anyone who needs it: friends, neighbors, 

relatives, or coworkers. Philly is maximizing MHFA 

funding and resources by working toward large-scale 

training, and aims to certify 10 percent of its residents. 

"To date we have conducted over 400 MHFA citywide 

trainings, trained 190 instructors, and certified over 

7,300 Philadelphians to respond to a behavioral 

health crisis or noncrisis situation," said Maria 

Boswell, acting director of Mental Health First Aid at 

the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

senior policy advisor for public safety in the mayor's 

office. "Residents should recognize their community 

when reading the plan, and see comments that were 

made at the community meetings." 

Community consensus was achieved, and the 

priorities were ranked. Youth programs, including 

after-school, late-night, and early drug and gang 

prevention programming, took the first slot. Next was 

collaboration with schools to leverage resources, from 

early intervention to aftercare, parent education on 

childrearing, gang and drug education, and teen 

parenting. Closing out the priorities was increased 

community policing to improve law enforcement– 

community relations, coordinate gang suppression 

actions, and build neighborhood capacity. 

"This is the best strategic plan we have developed," 

said Salcido. "The plan reflects our growth from just 

working and consulting among ourselves to working 

with others in Santa Clara County and with efforts like 

the National Forum. We finally seem to be on the 

same page—talking the talk and walking the walk." 

Salcido also said a Research Development 

Association grant has given San Jose greater 

capacity to conduct research that will better inform its 

planning and lead to new insights. 

"The MGPTF is housed in the Department of Parks, 

Recreation, and Neighborhood Services for a reason," 

said Rios. "It was placed there so law enforcement 

activity could be balanced with other community 

needs, and alternative methods could be explored." 

And this appears to be working. San Jose once saw a 

re-offense rate of 78 percent among 15- to 18-yearolds in the city. Those involved in MGPTF are 

experiencing an inverse response, with 74 percent 

succeeding. "This is a great number," Rios said. 

There is much to be learned from San Jose's 

perseverance and readiness to improve, adapt, and 

change its strategic planning process. The city's 

diligence has paid off, as it has become judicious 

enough to continue tackling the toughest problems 

while re-prioritizing ongoing efforts and focusing on 

new, evidence-based approaches to violence 

prevention. Then again, San Jose's determination to 

make the city safer has always been more than a 

plan. It's a promise. 

NEWS &
 VIEWS 

disAbilities Services. 

More than 1,700 law enforcement professionals have 

already been trained, including 375 school police, 

more than 500 Philadelphia police officers, and more 

than 200 staff members from the Philadelphia Fire 

Department. "Trainings have taken place in 

Philadelphia's courts, prison system, and district 

attorney's office," said Boswell, "and the plan is to 

continue training all new Philadelphia police cadets 

upon entry into the Philadelphia Police Academy." 

Eventually, everyone who comes into contact with 

young people—school staff, coaches, bus drivers, 

camp counselors, youth group leaders, primary care 

professionals, and students—will have the opportunity 

to become competent supports for those in need. 

While federal Project Aware grants are supporting 

MHFA training across the country, the long-term goal 

is for dedicated foundation and government funding. 

Philadelphia wants to keep MHFA going and growing, 

with a goal to connect young Mental Health First 

Aiders with peers who might need them. "Plans are in 

place to expand the youth training to younger adults, 

including the possibility of training graduating high 

school seniors in the Higher Education Curriculum in 

preparation for college," said Boswell. 

Whether it's human nature, kindness, or altruism that 

compels us to respond in an emergency, perfect 

strangers have long saved each other's lives. If 

goodwill is the best way to power a program, there's 

no limit to what MHFA can do. 

References 

1. National Institute of Mental Health. 2005. "Mental 

Illness Exacts Heavy Toll, Beginning in Youth." 

Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/sciencenews/2005/mental-illness-exacts-heavy-tollbeginning-in-youth.shtml. 

2. B.A. Kitchener and A.F. Jorm. 2004. "Mental Health 

First Aid Training in a Workplace Setting: A 

Randomized and Controlled Trial." BMC Psychiatry 

4(23):1–8. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

& UPCOMING EVENTS 

Funding Opportunities
 

Operation AmeriCorps 

Operation AmeriCorps is a new program with two 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reports, Guidelines, and Briefs 

Violence Exposure: American Indian and Alaska

Native Children 

The Attorney General's Advisory Committee on 

American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed 

to Violence made official recommendations to 

improve related programs and services. Suggesting 

significant enhancement of services provided to 

Indian Country, the report encourages assistance and 

input from tribes, and increased funding for effective, 

trauma-informed, and culturally appropriate programs. 

Forming Healthy Teen Relationships

This report brief examines research on adolescent 

dating violence from the teen perspective— 

particularly, how peers shape each other's 

experiences in the realm of romantic relationships. 

Teens highly value their relationships with peers, and 

use many of the skills they've honed through 

friendships as they begin to date. According to the 

authors, programs and policies aimed at preventing 

relationship violence and promoting healthy teen 

dating are likely to be most effective if they account 

for the potential ways in which peers interact. 

Young Adults: A Focus on Health and Happiness 

The years between late adolescence and adulthood 

can have a lifelong influence, particularly on economic 

security, health, and well-being. A committee of 

experts convened by the Institute of Medicine and 

National Research Council reviewed what is known 

about these aspects of young adults' lives and offered 

policy, program, and research recommendations. The 

report's suggestions could lead to better support for 

young adults and enable them to improve the 

country's workforce, global competitiveness, public 

safety, and national security. 

Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach 

This paper, developed by the Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services Administration, describes a 

trauma-informed approach that can be adapted to 

various systems: child welfare, education, criminal 

and juvenile justice, and primary health care. Through 

working definitions and key principles, the guidance 

aims to build better understanding of the connections 

between trauma and behavioral health issues, and to 

guide systems to become more trauma-informed. 

A Report Card on Child Homelessness 

Based on two reports previously published by the 

National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH), a 

new report, America's Youngest Outcasts: A

Report Card on Child Homelessness, documents 

the number of homeless children in each state, their 

well-being, and state-level planning and policy efforts. 

Although progress has been made reducing 

homelessness in certain populations, the number of 

funding priorities: the first focuses on specific 

postsecondary outcomes for students; the second 

allows localities to identify their most pressing 

challenge. Funding is available for state service 

commissions and tribal and local governments, 

including counties, cities, towns, and school districts. 

Applicants should identify a high-priority local 

challenge that AmeriCorps members can address in 2 

years or less, and submit proposals by Jan. 13, 

2015. 

Solicitation for Coordinated Tribal Assistance 

Programs

The 2015 Coordinated Tribal Assistance 

Solicitation allows federally recognized tribal 

governments and consortia to submit a single 

application for all funding opportunities supporting 

public safety, victim services, and crime prevention in 

tribal communities. Applicants may apply for funding 

under nine different purpose areas that best address 

tribes' concerns for public safety, criminal and juvenile 

justice, and needs of victims or survivors of domestic 

violence, sexual assault, and other violence. 

Applications are due Feb. 24, 2015. 

Performance Partnership Pilots 

The U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, and 

Health and Human Services, the Corporation for 

National and Community Service, and the Institute of 

Museum and Library Services have partnered to help 

communities achieve better outcomes for 

disconnected youth. Performance Partnership 

Pilots (P3) test innovative, results-focused strategies 

to achieve improvements for disconnected youth in 

education, employment, and other key outcomes. 

This initiative will enable up to 10 pilots to combine 

funds already received from discretionary programs 

and align programs and reporting requirements. 

Applications are due on March 4, 2015. 

Training Opportunities 

Partnering Nonprofits With Law Enforcement 

This 1-hour Webinar, hosted by the Center for 

Missing and Abducted Children's Organizations, will 

help nonprofit organizations specializing in community 

and child safety determine which of their services are 

most valuable to law enforcement. Participants will 

assess ways in which they can form long-lasting 

professional relationships with law enforcement. The 

Webinar begins at 10 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2015. 

National Mentoring Summit

"Expanding the Mentoring Effect" is a summit 

designed for mentoring practitioners, researchers, 

corporate partners, government and civic leaders, 

youth-serving organizations, and MENTOR's network 

of affiliate Mentoring Partnerships. More than 60 

workshops will share successful program models, 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

homeless children in the U.S. has reached a historic 

high. In 2013, 2.48 million (1 in 30) children 

experienced homelessness. The report ranks states 

in four domains—extent of child homelessness, child 

well-being, risk for child homelessness, and state 

policy and planning efforts—and from best to worst. 

According to NCFH, effective responses to this issue 

must include safe, affordable housing; education and 

employment opportunities; services incorporating 

trauma-informed care; and research identifying 

evidence-based programs and services. 

News 

Boston Launches Comprehensive Public Safety

Plan 

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has launched a public

safety plan expanding on two initiatives that protect 

the city's neighborhoods. The Boston Foundation will 

provide $3.1 million to integrate StreetSafe into a 

citywide effort, putting more Violence Interrupters— 

people working to stop gang and gun violence before 

it starts—in Boston communities. Targeting at-risk 

youths ages 14 to 24, the program will soon partner 

with others offering job training and trauma support, 

and have a full staff, with a Violence Interrupter 

assigned to each of Boston's 19 housing 

developments. 

Summer Employment Decreases Youth Violence 

Youths who work during summer—the time of year 

when violence is often high—may be less likely to 

commit violent crimes, according to a study in the 

December issue of Science. The University of 

Pennsylvania and University of Chicago Crime Lab 

looked at 1,634 middle- and high-school students 

from some of Chicago's poorest and most violent 

neighborhoods. Students participated in a summer 

jobs program called One Summer Plus. The results 

suggest just 25 hours of minimum-wage employment 

each summer week is enough to reduce teen violence 

by 43 percent for the next year. One Summer Plus 

places 8th–12th graders in jobs as summer camp 

counselors, community garden workers, or office 

assistants. An adult mentor is assigned to about 1 in 

every 10 students. Some youths also receive social– 

emotional learning through the program. 

Memphis Plans to Expand City Youth Programs 

Memphis, Tenn., Mayor A C Wharton wants to 

expand more than 50 city programs on youth 

wellness, law enforcement, and intervention. He's 

moving forward quickly with the plans, starting with 

recruiting young people to feed the hungry over the 

holidays. The city's Office of Youth Services will run 

the programs, which will include counseling, sports, 

and summer jobs. There are also goals to reestablish 

the Memphis Youth City Council and develop betterparenting programs. 

research, technologies, and resources that have 

advanced mentoring's positive effect on young 

people. The summit will be held Jan. 28–30, 2015, in 

Washington, D.C. 

Collaborative Community Partnerships 

This introductory course looks at partnerships in 

American Indian communities that support the 

mission, goals, activities, and ultimate success of 

Tribal Youth Programs. There are four learning 

objectives: 1) to define collaborative community 

partnerships and their impact, 2) to recognize the 

characteristics, function, and key players of such 

partnerships, 3) to identify strategies for creating, 

structuring, and maintaining collaborative 

partnerships, and 4) to determine measures of 

success in collaborative community partnership 

efforts. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bullying Prevention Task Force Launched 

The White House announced a new Interagency 

Initiative on Hate Crimes, including the Asian 

Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Bullying

Prevention Task Force, to proactively address 

bullying in the AAPI community. The task force will 

work to uncover hindrances that prevent the AAPI 

community from seeking relief and support, analyze 

data on bullying prevalence, improve outreach, 

develop training and toolkits, and explore and 

recommend policies that address bullying. 

Other Resources 

Engaging Key Fields in Violence Prevention

Multisector Partnerships for Preventing Violence

articulates the benefits of collaboration in improving 

safety outcomes for youths, communities, and cities. 

Clarifying the roles and contributions of various fields, 

this publication describes what private and public 

sectors can bring to the table. The guide also explains 

Prevention Institute's Collaboration Multiplier, a useful 

tool designed to encourage meaningful collaboration 

across diverse fields. 

Internet Safety: A New Resource Guide 

Developed by the Children's Safety Network, this 

guide provides links to organizations, programs, 

publications, and resources focused on Internet safety 

as well as information on cyberbullying, sexting, social 

networking, and suicide and other self-harm. 

Two New NCJRS Online Features 

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service 

(NCJRS) launched two special features to keep 

youths safe online and at school. The first is a 

collection of resources on Internet safety, including 

links to information on online victimization, safety, and 

privacy. The school safety feature contains 

information on the impact of school violence and 

provides links to resources on bullying, violence, and 

related training. 

LGBT Youth in Juvenile Justice Systems 

This fact sheet focuses on improving policies and 

practices for youth who identify as lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) in juvenile justice 

systems. Many LGBT youths experience victimization 

by families or at school before age 18, which can 

make accessing appropriate care and support more 

difficult, especially when they are placed in supervised 

systems. This resource explores the experiences of 

LGBT youth in juvenile justice systems and looks at 

opportunities to provide more protection and focused 

support. 

Serving Juvenile Justice System–Involved Youth 

Developed through a partnership between the U.S. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departments of Justice and Education, the 

Correctional Education Guidance Package is 

designed to inform the efforts of states, school 

districts, and juvenile justice facilities that serve 

system-involved youth. There are four main 

components: the guiding principles for high-quality 

correctional education, and three Dear Colleague 

Letters on education for students with disabilities in 

correctional facilities, civil rights of students in juvenile 

justice residential facilities, and access to federal Pell 

Grants for students in juvenile justice residential 

facilities. 

Contact Us 

Send questions or feedback about the newsletter to 

NFYVP@dsgonline.com or subscribe. 

The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention Newsletter 

is prepared under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (OJJDP) Cooperative Agreement No. 2012–MU– 

FX–K009 with Development Services Group, Inc. 

The views, opinions, and content of this newsletter do not 

necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of OJJDP. 

[1] National Institute on Mental Health. 2005. "Mental Illness Exacts Heavy Toll, Beginning in Youth."
 

Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2005/mental-illness-exacts-heavy-toll-beginning-in-youth.shtml. 

[2] BA Kitchener et al. 2004. "Mental Health First Aid Training in a Workplace Setting:
 

A Randomized and Controlled Trial." BMC Psychiatry 4(23):1–8.