The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is proud of its long history of working with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and other student groups to promote healthy kids and safe schools. These partnerships are a great chance for HRSA to reach youth in their schools and community to prevent bullying. Over the years, HRSA and GLSEN have shared resources and spoken at events. This year, we are continuing that work on social media for GLSEN’s No Name Calling Week. Continue Reading

Late one Tuesday night, I received a text from the mother of my son’s friend. She told me that we needed to talk NOW; would I call her? Two weeks earlier, my 15-year-old son had broken down in tears over the harassment he was receiving at school. What I did not know, but learned from the mother who contacted me, was that my son had come very close to attempting suicide the night before. The actions of friends may indeed have saved my son’s life. My husband and I knew “Jake” was hurting inside. Continue Reading

January is National Mentoring Month. Research has shown that mentoring programs can be an effective tool for enhancing the positive development of youth in the foster care system.

Over the past three decades, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has supported a variety of mentoring programs to meet the needs of at-risk and troubled youth. The office works on traditional one-on-one relationships, group mentoring, e-mentoring and other innovative approaches to reach teens. Continue Reading

Bullying among young children is not uncommon. When young children–who often differ in physical size, skill level, and family experience–get together, patterns of hurtful behavior often emerge.

Children may be mean to each other by making mean faces, saying threatening things, grabbing objects, pushing others aside, or refusing to play with others. Some young children may engage in actual bullying behaviors by deliberately and repeatedly dominating a vulnerable child by name-calling, physical attacks, and excluding others from playing with them. Continue Reading

Bullying can happen anywhere. It can happen in person, online, or behind your back. But there are some groups that are at higher risk.

Erin Reiney is the Director of Injury and Violence Prevention at the Health Resources and Service’s Administration (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). She leads HRSA’s Bullying Prevention efforts, and serves as project officer for the MCHB Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Resource Center Consortium and the Children’s Safety Network National Resource Center.... Continue Reading