The project proposed by collaborative solutions for communities offers a comprehensive range of services including training for school personnel and students, violence intervention strategies, and…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $1,000,000 Project Grant under the STOP School Violence Program (CFDA 16.839) to Collaborative Solutions for Communities (CSC), a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC. The grant, with a performance period from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027, will support CSC in delivering a comprehensive range of school safety services, including training for school personnel and students, violence intervention strategies, and various evidence-based educational curricula. Key program elements include implementing the Trauma, Addictions, Mental Health, and Recovery for Youth (TAMAR-Y) and the High School Health Curriculum (HSHC) to address trauma, violence prevention, and socio-emotional development. The grant aims to enhance school security and empower students, teachers, and staff to recognize, respond to, and prevent acts of violence in K-12 educational settings.

The project proposed by collaborative solutions for communities offers a comprehensive range of services including training for school personnel and students, violence intervention strategies, and various school safety solutions. The program focuses on implementing evidence-based educational curricula, violence intervention and prevention, mediation, socio-emotional development, and training for school personnel. The training materials that will educate the students about trauma and its negative impact on behavior and well-being, as well as healthy socioemotional skills, including the trauma, addictions, mental health, and recovery for youth (tamar-y) and the high school health curriculum (hshc). The tamar program was originally designed for the maryland department of juvenile services (DJS) in partnership with young individuals, families, and DJS staff, leading to the creation of tamar-y. This therapeutic initiative combines trauma education with practical techniques to help participants identify triggers and develop skills to manage trauma symptoms effectively. Utilizing expressive arts therapies, the program engages youth in a way that is both age-appropriate and meaningful, encouraging exploration of emotions and experiences to deepen self-awareness and responses to trauma. The hshc, a publication of the colorado department of education, is a curriculum that places a strong emphasis on social and emotional skills, providing students with up-to-date information while covering various relevant topics. With six units, each containing six sessions, the curriculum covers a wide range of topics including health, nutrition, violence prevention, communication skills, and more.