Evaluation of Link for Equity (Students of Color Population)

The investigators propose to develop and evaluate Link for Equity, a trauma-informed system of care. Link, a system of support for ACE-affected children, is composed of universal school Trauma-Informed Care. Preventing Racism through Awareness and Action (PRAA) is a perspective-taking racism/discrimination prevention intervention for school staff that increases awareness of racism and how it impacts students and promotes empathy for students of color. Link for Equity will be translated to be culturally responsive for 12 secondary public schools in metropolitan and rural Minnesota with substantial racial/ethnic minority students and racial/ethnic disparities in school discipline and violence. Using a nested, rigorous, and ethically acceptable randomized waitlist control design, the investigators will implement and evaluate Link for Equity sequentially for two years in each school. The overall goal is to evaluate if Link for Equity can reduce school violence disparities.

Significance of Research Question/Purpose: Youth violence is an emergent nationwide public health issue. Almost two-thirds of public schools across America report one or more violent incidents on their campus annually. In 2014, approximately 850,000 non-fatal victimizations occurred among 12-18 year-old students; this includes 486,400 assaults and serious violent victimizations. About 22% of children in the U.S. reported being bullied at school in 2011, and one in 10 students report being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in the past year.

Racial/ethnic minority youth are at increased risk for school violence. African American, Latino, and American Indian youth report higher rates of in-school physical fighting, weapon carrying, and gang presence compared to white youth. The highest rates of severe violence are reported in urban high schools with high minority enrollment, and large samples and reviews indicate Black and Latino youth engage in more bullying than other racial groups.

Accumulation of adverse child experiences (ACEs), or childhood traumas such as abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, and racial discrimination, place children at high risk for violent behaviors. Multiple ACEs are more prevalent among American Indian (40%), Hispanic (31%) and black children (33%) compared with white children (21%). ACEs have acute and cumulative detrimental impacts on the physiological, cognitive, behavioral and psychological health of children, and children with increased ACEs are more likely to engage in violent behaviors at school.

For example, the Olweus Anti-bullying Program, which was shown to be effective in Norway yet ineffective among Washington's racial/ethnic minority students, is implemented widely. A number of gaps in addressing risks for youth violence remain. Many programs are limited to didactic instruction in the classroom, or solely target children with significant behavioral concerns. Systems-based approaches are the most promising sustainable models because they capitalize on infrastructures and services offered at school. This study will evaluate a systems-based model, Link for Equity. Link is combines Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and psychological first aid in a culturally sensitive manner. Link for Equity offers cultural humility training that specifically targets racial/ethnic microaggressions to prevent racial discrimination in discipline referrals of racial and ethnic minority students.

The aims are to:

Aim 1: Adapt, implement, and measure the effect of Link for Equity on school violence disparities.

Aim 2: Measure the effect of Link for Equity on racial discrimination by teachers (2a), and assess if teachers' racial discrimination mediates the effect of Link for Equity on school violence (2b).

Aim 3: Explore connectedness and stress mechanisms through which Link for Equity impacts school violence disparities.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* The student study population is composed of students of color enrolled at participating schools

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children who do not identify as full/part Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, or American Indian/Native