NJDOH STOP School Violence Program

Under STOP Category 1, program areas—develop and operate technology solutions, and training school personnel and educating students on preventing school violence—the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), requests funding to provide the first-of-its-kind trauma-informed help app in schools across the state. In partnership with Empower Somerset, a community-based organization, and the state-procured vendor, STOPit Solutions, NJDOH proposes implementing the HELPme App and program in up to 78 additional high-need school districts. NJDOH has several youth and family wellness, and suicide and violence prevention initiatives active in select partner districts. The HELPme app and program will be offered to these NJDOH partner districts as a significant part of the continuum of services working to keep New Jersey students, staff, and families safe and healthy. Services will be prioritized for the highest-need districts including 18 Title 1 NJDOH partner schools serving 160,774 students. Overall, the project will serve up to 335,000 additional students, staff, and families in New Jersey, for a total potential to serve of up to 496,000 students in New Jersey or 35% of the state’s kindergarten through grade12 education population.