Connecticut FY18 STOP Project

The FY 18 STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program is a program that supports efforts by state, local, and federally-recognized Indian tribes to prevent and reduce school violence. This program will address: (1) training school personnel and educating students to prevent student violence; (2) development and operation of anonymous reporting systems against threats of school violence, including mobile telephone applications, hotlines, and websites; and (3) development and operation of school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams that may include coordination with law enforcement agencies and school personnel as well as specialized training for school officials help intervene and respond to individuals with mental health issues that could impact school safety. Funding for this program will support the improvement of school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to violent attacks and mitigate risk exposure, and prevent acts of violence. The funds will further support the development of threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and anonymous reporting systems, designed to identify threats before they materialize, including those that originate from individuals with mental health issues; and for the training of students, school personnel and local law enforcement officers necessary to partner together in preventing violent events from happening. No funds awarded under this grant program may be used for the provision of a firearm to any person or training in the use of a firearm. 

SHP and DEMHS will conduct monthly partner meetings to support planning and scheduling for program implementation, which will culminate in the delivery of the virtual-live Implementation Workshops. The Workshops will be listed and linked for registration for participants to sign up. The Implementation Workshops train adults to deliver SHP’s school violence prevention student training, using a five-stage program cycle.

Throughout this program we have identified need for sustainment including adult training to support SAVE clubs. This scope of work change will allow us to train adult ambassadors. In Stage 1: Plan, participants learn to use SHP’s planning documents to prepare for each subsequent stage of the program cycle. Stage 2: Train, prepares participants to deliver the student training. During Stage 3: Engage, participants learn to engage students in interactive lessons and activities that deepen students’ understanding of the program. In Stage 4: Celebrate, participants learn about Sandy Hook Promise’s Start With Hello Week, which occurs every September and/or Say Something Week, which occurs every March. Participants are also given the option to organize a celebration during another week in the year that aligns more appropriately with the school schedule. Finally, in Stage 5: Grow, participants learn to expand the program by reflecting on how to increase the breadth and depth of program messaging in the next academic year.

These workshops will enable the continuation of vital program sustainability services to new and existing schools and will ensure the enduring impact of these critical efforts in schools across the state.