SEATTLE, March 11, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The US Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program is now included in their National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). The database lists evidence-based interventions that support, among other things, mental health promotion, and the goal is to help the public learn more about effective prevention programs and determine which may best meet their needs.
Developed by 35-year-old Seattle nonprofit Committee for Children, the Steps to Respect program was shown to be effective in a rigorous research study. The randomized control trial, funded by the Raynier Institute and Foundation, found that the 16 schools using the program—in comparison to 16 control schools—experienced 33 percent less physical bullying, 35 percent fewer teachers reporting fighting as a major problem, and 20 percent more staff members reporting that their school is promoting a positive environment. The program is designed for children in upper elementary school and includes lessons and literature units for kids, training for adults and resources for families.
"Because childhood bullying is associated with negative psychological, emotional and behavioral outcomes, it's important for educators to have a way to create a school climate in which bullying is rare and unwelcome. The Steps to Respect program can help them create such a climate, and now that it is included on NREPP, schools can be confident they are choosing a program that has evidence to support its effectiveness," says Tia Kim, Ph.D., Committee for Children's Director of Research.
Executive Director Joan Cole Duffell adds, "The NREPP registry is an excellent tool for educators who are seeking top-quality prevention materials, and we're proud to be among those that meet such rigorous federal requirements. Committee for Children has a long-term dedication to creating quality, research- and evidence-based prevention curricula, and SAMHSA's acknowledgment will be very beneficial to schools looking for such programs."
About Committee for Children
Seattle-based nonprofit Committee for Children's research-based educational programs teach social-emotional skills to prevent bullying, violence, and abuse and improve academics. Their curricula are used in over 25,000 schools across the United States and around the world. To learn more, go to www.cfchildren.org.