As part of the Let’s Read. Let’s Move. initiative, the Corporation for National and Community Service has compiled a list of things people can do to help children maintain active minds and bodies during the summer months.

President Obama's 2010 National Drug Control Strategy reflects a comprehensive approach to reducing drug use and its consequences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health published 2011 national, state, and local Youth Risk Behavior Survey results. These results show significant improvements in many health behaviors during the past two decades, as well as new possible risks resulting from an increased use of technology.

This program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low performing schools. The program: helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

4-H Afterschool is a special focused effort within the 4-H Youth Development Program that helps 4-H and other youth-serving organizations create and improve after-school programs in urban, suburban, and rural communities across the United States.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is the only national organization that is federally mandated to conduct positive youth development programs. The program works to improve knowledge and skills of young people (their Heads, Hearts, Hands, and Health) and the quality of life in the communities in which they live.

The Department of Labor conducted an analysis that examines how the relationship between high school courses and college attendance may have changed between the late 1970s and the late 1990s. As time progressed, students began taking more rigorous coursework and that became a high predictor of who was likely to attend college. In the late 1970s, however, fewer students took advanced courses and the rigor of the courses did not seem to be a determining factor in college attendance. 

This Bulletin focuses on four restorative conferencing models: victim-offender mediation, community reparative boards, family group conferencing, and circle sentencing. It first describes each of the four restorative conferencing models, then compares and contrasts.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) hosted a forum on Emphasizing Evidence-Based Programs for Children and Youth in April 2011 in Washington, D.C. The forum consisted of experts across the field of evidence and innovation.

This guide is a companion piece to the Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities (above). It emphasizes a valuable part of emergency management planning—ongoing vulnerability assessment—and is intended to assist schools with the selection and implementation of an effective vulnerability assessment tool.

This booklet from the Department of Education helps parents, regardless of their level of technological expertise, use the on-line world as an important educational tool.

The Safe Communities approach represents a new way community programs are established and managed. All partners participate as equals in developing solutions, sharing successes, assuming risks, and building a community structure and process to continue improvement of community life through the reduction of injuries and costs.

As featured by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the University of Minnesota released a study, Academic Achievement Trajectories of Homeless and Highly Mobile Students: Resilience in the Context of Chronic and Acute Risk, which examined academic achievement of students identified as homeless or highly mobile as compared with other students in the federal free meal program, reduced price meals, or neither. This study was partially federally funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Science Foundation. 

After disasters and other breaks in continuity of services, child welfare agencies' tasks are continuing to manage, capturing lessons learned, and rebuilding better systems. In this section you will find federal and state resources for longer term recovery and rebuilding from natural disasters or other major unexpected events, including resources on mental health services and research.

As this podcast explains, children are more likely to be active if their parents are, too.

This site provides information about resources for children, youth, and families, including child care, Head Start, child support enforcement, domestic violence services, runaway and homeless youth programs, child welfare services, and more.

The mission of ANA is to promote the goal of self-sufficiency and cultural preservation for Native Americans by providing social and economic development opportunities through financial assistance, training, and technical assistance to eligible Tribes and Native American communities, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islanders organizations. ANA provides funding for community-based projects that are designed to improve the lives of Native children and families and reduce long-term dependency on public assistance.

The Adolescent Literacy Research Network is a partnership of The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), designed to support each agency's effort to enhance literacy and employment skills of young American adults.

A report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that 16 and 17 year olds, living with parents who drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, are far more likely to drive under the influence than adolescents whose parents do not drive under the influence.

Based on decades of NICHD research on parenting, this booklet gives parents the tools they need to make their own decisions about successful parenting. The booklet provides real-world examples and stories about how some families include responding, preventing, monitoring, modeling, and mentoring in their own daily parenting activities.

Audry Yowell discusses the Affordable Care Act Maternity, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

This Bulletin examines aftercare services that provide youth with comprehensive health, mental health, education, family, and vocational services upon their release from the juvenile justice system.

“AMBER Alert Best Practices,” published by the Department of Justice, discusses the most effective strategies that AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) partners have provided for recovering missing children. It explains the history of the system, the role each partner plays in child recovery and how to use the resources provided as best as possible. 

Prepared by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, “America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2012” highlights 14 key indicators on important aspects of children’s lives across seven domains:

• Family and social environment
• Economic circumstances
• Health care
• Physical environment and safety
• Behavior
• Education
• Health

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics produces this publication annually on the well being of children and families across the U.S.

 “America’s Youth: Transitions to Adulthood,” a report from the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), compares the current generation of youth in the United States to youth in 2000, 1990, and 1980.

This booklet was created to assist parents and caregivers in helping youth cope with disasters and emergencies. The guide also provides information on preparing family emergency plans and discussing these plans with youth.

This report from the EPA is a comprehensive compilation of information from a variety of sources on children’s health and the environment, illustrating trends for contaminants in air, water, food, and soil that may affect children, concentrations of contaminants in the bodies of children and women of child-bearing age, and childhood illnesses and health conditions.

Each year, AmeriCorps offers 75,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups.

During this Twitter Town Hall, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discussed a range of issues including respecting teachers, charter schools and choice, and student loan debt. 

The Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center, supported by the Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, delves into the importance of fostering healthy student-to-student relationships in the webinar, “Enhancing Peer to Peer Relationships to Strengthen School Climate.” This resource is meant to help administrators, teachers, support staff and student support personnel in creating a nurturing learning environment. 

This informational booklet is targeted to workers age 13 to 18 in non-farm industries. The booklet provides facts youth need to stay safe and healthy at work. The guide also informs young workers about the jobs they can and cannot do and about permissible work hours as defined under Federal child labor laws. The booklet also helps youth recognize common workplace hazards and teaches young people about their rights and responsibilities on non-farm jobs.

This document makes the case for a new mission for juvenile justice known as the "Balanced Approach," and advocates consideration of a new philosophical framework, "Restorative Justice," to guide broader policy development and reform in juvenile justice.

A bone health campaign for girls and their BFFs to "grow strong together and stay strong forever!"

This best practices guide  funded in part under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U. S. Department of Laborh and the Technology Opportunities Program of the U. S. Department of Commerce,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration aims to help communities to  start mentoring programs or expand a program to include youth with disabilities.

The Comprehensive Gang Model developed by the OJJDP focuses on community prevention and intervention in balance with law enforcement suppression activities. The model involves five strategies for responding to gang-involved youth and their families. These include community mobilization, opportunities provision, social intervention, suppression, organizational change and development. This brief discusses best practices for implementing the model.

The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration report, “Beyond a Summer Work Experience: The Recovery Act 2009 Post-Summer Youth Employment Initiative,” examines organizations that used Recovery Act funds to support post-summer youth employment initiatives.

A guide released by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, “Birth Parents and Trauma Histories in the Child Welfare System: A Guide for Resource Parents,” aims to help resource, or foster, parents to better understand the birth parents with whom they work.

Recognizing the need for research to evaluate the current state of disaster preparedness education and research regarding youth, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) commissioned a review of the literature related to emergency preparedness education for youth. The objectives of this review were to identify research and evaluations of youth education interventions for emergency preparedness and to use the findings to develop recommendations that can be used to assess current programs and to enhance the provision of youth preparedness education programs.

This publication from the Department of Education’s Higher Education Center highlights the prevalence of bullying within college-age youth and the policies and programs universities are putting in place to combat it.

This website is targeted at "tweens" with 12 educational, animated "webisodes" featuring characters who are involved in bullying and its prevention. The site describes bullying in language friendly to young people, and includes helpful information for kids and for adults. Web site available in Spanish.

The Office of Human Services in the Bureau of Indian Affairs promotes the safety, financial security and social health of Indian communities and individual Indian people.

This resource provides technical assistance to practitioners in state, local, and tribal justice systems.

This site describes looking to the future, The Bureau of Land Management's youth initiatives. These initatives feature a variety of programs that engage, educate, and inspire and focus on youth from early childhood through young adulthood. The aim of the youth programs is to build on the spark of childhood wonder about the natural world, sustain interest through hands-on education and volunteer experiences during the school-age years, and develop into long-term engagement and stewardship, as well as pursuit of natural resource careers.

SAMHSA's "Caring for Every Child's Mental Health" public awareness effort was created in 1994 with the mission to increase awareness around children's mental health.

Bryan Samuels discusses a case study of the Permanency Innovations Initiative at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

This website is CDC’s primary source of information and resources for preparing for and responding to public health emergencies. This site continues to keep the public informed about public health emergencies and provides the information needed to protect and save lives.

Schools and education agencies cannot prevent natural disasters, or even many man-made crises, but they can help students prepare for and plan to respond to such emergencies. Resources are available to help schools, education agencies, and institutions of higher education develop such plans, usually in collaboration with public health and first responder agencies.

This website from CDC provides information and data about teen pregnancy. Sections of the site target resources for parents, guardians, and health care providers. It also includes videos, podcasts, reports, a social media tool kit and other resources focused on teen pregnancy and teen pregnancy prevention.

CDCynergy is a multimedia CD-ROM used for planning, managing, and evaluating public health communication programs. The tool was originally created for use within CDC. In addition to the basic edition, CDC program and partners have created additional versions of the tool focused on specific health topics. Copies of the CD can be ordered from the Public Health Foundation.

Resources on how to foster collaboration and impelement best practices in school and special education settings.

CMHS leads Federal efforts to treat mental illnesses by promoting mental health and by preventing the development or worsening of mental illness when possible.

The effects of a disaster, terrorist attack, or other public health emergency can be long-lasting, and the resulting trauma can reverberate even with those not directly affected by the disaster. This page provides general strategies for promoting mental health and resilience that were developed by various organizations based on experiences in prior disasters.

This Guide was developed to help youth service professionals better understand issues related to learning disabilities so that they can help youth with learning disabilities develop individual strategies that will enable them to succeed in the workplace.

This report from the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines what types of violence children report and what professionals are aware of the reported violence. The report shows that 46 percent of victimized children were known to school, police, or medical authorities. 

elaws-FLSA Child Labor Rules Advisor provides a comprehensive way to help you learn more about the minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor, and recordkeeping laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (DOL). This is an interactive platform where users can select information targeted at youth, parents, employers, and teachers on a variety of topics. 

Child Welfare Information Gateway connects child welfare and related professionals to comprehensive information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families.Tools to build logic models, as well as examples of program approaches, are provided for a range of child welfare topics.

This article from the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention discusses the prevalence of trauma and its effect on children and teens, with the goal of providing schools, parents, and caregivers with the tools to identify young people who may have been affected by trauma in order to help them develop the skills they need to succeed.

This resource from the Federal Trade Commission offers steps to help parents avoid, recognize, and repair the damage caused by child identity theft.

This SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series installment from the Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) focuses on the reactions and mental health needs of children and youth after a disaster and contains resources from both the child trauma and disaster behavioral health fields.

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides free or low-cost health coverage for more than 7 million children up to age 19. CHIP covers U.S. citizens and eligible immigrants.

CYFERnet is a national network of Land Grant university faculty and county Extension educators working to support community-based educational programs for children, youth, parents and families. It provides program, evaluation and technology assistance for children, youth and family community-based programs and is funded as a joint project of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's NIFA and the Cooperative Extension System

Information for parents regarding Supplemental Educational Services including, service providers, state contacts, pilot programs, information regarding No Child Left Behind, technical assistance, and additional resource links.

Choose my Plate  offers personalized eating plans, interactive tools to help you plan and assess your food choices, and advice to help you make better choices.'

In 2004, AHRQ launched a collection of evidence reports, Closing the Quality Gap: A Critical Analysis of Quality Improvement Strategies, to bring data to bear on quality improvement opportunities. These reports summarized the evidence on quality improvement strategies related to chronic conditions, practice areas, and cross-cutting priorities.The United States devotes significant resources for the provision of health care, yet quality is often elusive or lacking.

The College Scorecard includes key information about the cost and value of colleges and universities to help students and their families make informed decisions about their education.

This set of documents was developed by the National Association of Governors Highway Safety Representatives with financial assistance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The guides focus on the following topics: Coalition Building, Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning, Evaluation, Prevention and Education, Underage Drinking Enforcement, Public Policy Advocacy, Media Relations, Self-Sufficiency, and Resources.

This program awards discretionary grants to establish comprehensive technical assistance centers to help low-performing schools and districts close achievement gaps and meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Awards have been given to Fifteen (15) Regional Centers to provide technical assistance to States within defined geographic boundaries; and Five (5) content focused centers to provide expert assistance to benefit States and districts nationwide on key issues related to the goals of NCLB.

The SafeFutures initiative joins what we have learned from research about risk and protective factors with what we now know from experience about promising approaches to preventing and controlling delinquency, resulting in a continuum of care that responds to the needs of youth at critical stages in their development. This Summary describes the lessons learned over the initial 3 years of the initiative's implementation in three pilot sites.

The Connected Educators website is part of the Connected Online Communities of Practice Project launched by the Department of Education that aims to create communities outside of the classroom between educators in order to share information about best practices, curriculum, learning activities, resources and other materials that may inform their teaching practices. The site includes informative publications on online communities, access to those that already exist and a toolkit on how to get started. 

The CES, administered by over 130 land grant universities and anchored in all 3,150 counties across the country, is a network of academically trained university faculty and staff who provide a broad array of staff training, curriculum, community collaboration building, evaluation, resource development, and other expertise and resources to out-of-school time programs.

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act establishes the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Council) as an independent body within the executive branch of the federal government. The Council's primary functions are to coordinate federal juvenile delinquency prevention programs, federal programs and activities that detain or care for unaccompanied juveniles, and federal programs related to missing and exploited children.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides coping resources on its blog in the wake of the Chardon High School shooting in Ohio. The blog entry provides a hotline number that individuals can call or text for disaster and trauma crisis counseling.

The Corporation for National and Community Service plays a vital role in supporting the American culture of citizenship, service and responsibility. The Corporation is a catalyst for change and champion for the ideal that every American has skills and talents to give. The Corporation is the nation's largest grantmaker supporting service and volunteering. Through AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs, The Corporation provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to express their patriotism while addressing critical community needs

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released a report, “Prevalence of Violent Crime among Households with Children, 1993-2010,” which presents data about nonfatal violent crime involving members of households with children during that time period.

This online course examines the causes and effects of bullying, prevention techniques and programs, screening, treatment options, and legal and ethical issues surrounding bullying. This course is designed for professionals in education, health and mental health, and related fields, including social workers, school counselors, school nurses, teachers, and principals. Quizzes at the end of course modules allow course participants to gauge their learning against course objectives.

The Spring 2012 of the IMPACT newsletter of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, which is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services,  focused entirely on the relationship between culture and trauma. Topics covered include youth suicide in a tribal community and disclosure of abuse in LGBT youth.

To help teachers address issues surrounding youth in confinement, the National Juvenile Detention Association's Center for Research and Professional Development (CRPD) has developed a National Training Curriculum for Educators of Youth in Confinement Facilities (Educator's Curriculum). Topics addressed include behavioral development, mental health, and assessment.

This report from the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics presents findings from a congressionally mandated study on arts education in public elementary and secondary schools.

A  Dear Colleagues letter, released by the Department of Education during a White House event on teen dating violence prevention, calls on state school chiefs to take immediate action to reduce gender-based violence in schools. Accompanying the letter was the “What Schools Can Do” toolkit, which outlines simple actions that communities can take to reduce gender-based violence, as well as available resources.

The National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence has released a final report which includes 56 recommendations underscoring the importance of identifying children who are victims of, or witnesses to, violence, and providing services to help them heal.

The Department of Education's model financial aid award letter, known as the “Shopping Sheet,” aims to promote transparency in student financial aid disclosures by outlining information—such as estimated annual costs, grant money students will receive, the amount of loan money they can expect to take out, and more—up front, before students have enrolled.   

This Department of Homeland Security website provides information and resources focused on disaster response and recovery. Additional information about the ways the Department of Homeland Security can help with recovery is available on the disaster assistance page

Disability.gov is a federal government Web site that provides quick and easy access to comprehensive information about disability-related programs, services, laws and benefits.

People affected by any disaster or tragedy can call the Disaster Distress Helpline, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to receive immediate counseling. Calling 1-800-985-5990 will connect you to a trained professional from the closest crisis counseling center within the network.

This site consolidates disaster assistance information in one place. The secure, user-friendly U.S. Government web portal allows users to apply for assistance online following a presidentially declared disaster and to find additional resources and information about recovering from a disaster.

Distraction.gov provides wide array of information and resources about distracted driving including information from the 2010 summit on distracted driving, campaign tools, facts, statistics and research, information about laws in different states related to distracted driving, speeches, press releases and other resources for the media.

This website houses a collection of research-based instructional practices on topics such as Early Childhood Education, English Language Learners, Math and Science, and Psychology of Learning, with an emphasis on using data for improvement, increasing teacher effectiveness, and turning around the lowest-performing schools.

Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools offers research-based practices designed to assist school communities identify these warning signs early and develop prevention, intervention and crisis response plans.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED)'s Office of Safe and Healthy Students' (OSHS) Center for School Preparedness provides support, resources, grants, and training to support emergency management efforts for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education.

This bulletin outlines some of the consequences of underage drinking including the effect that drinking can have on adolescent brain development. As outlined in the bulletin, studies show that continued use of alcohol and other drugs may hinder youth’s advancement to more complex stages of thinking and social interaction.

This page provides information that can help school leaders plan for any emergency, including natural disasters, violent incidents and terrorist acts.

The Employment and Training Administration site provides information about summer youth jobs, the Workforce Investment Act, and other employment and training programs related to youth .

Book to teach children about how to make smart energy choices, save money, and improve the environment.

This 10-page document outlines typical stakeholder groups in public health programs, explains why stakeholders are important to evaluations and their role in evaluations, and also includes a checklist for steps in engaging stakeholders as well as a number of worksheets to help identify key stakeholders and determine what program related issues matter to them.

The Evidence-Based Practice Center program (EPC) review all relevant scientific literature on clinical, behavioral, and organization and financing topics to produce evidence reports and technology assessments. These reports are used for informing and developing coverage decisions, quality measures, educational materials and tools, guidelines, and research agendas. The EPCs also conduct research on methodology of systematic reviews.

This website presents a set of research-based principles upon which prevention programming can be based, as developed by ONDCP.

The Department of Transportation created a video of an interview with a mother whose teen daughter died as a result of distracted driving

This fact sheet provides an overview of OJJDP’s efforts to reduce disproportionate minority contact in juvenile justice systems.

Rural Development is committed to helping faith and community organizations learn about and access programs that can enhance their capacity to serve their community. This toolkit offers a one-stop shop for organizations interested in applying for Rural Development programs and includes supplemental resources, legal guidance for faith and community groups and contact information for the Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Office and liaisons at USDA

FYSB is within the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, ACF, DHHS. FYSB promotes positive outcomes for children, youth and families by supporting a wide range of comprehensive services and collaborations at the local, Tribal, State and national levels. FYSB programs are designed to provide youth with positive alternatives, ensure their safety, and maximize their potential to take advantage of available opportunities. FYSB encourages communities to support young people through Positive Youth Development.

This website provides information about family relationships, growth and development, resources for parents and professionals, as well as youth-targeted content

The Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released the report, "Federal Education Tax Benefits: Who Receives Them and to What Extent Do They Shape the Price of College Attendance?” that details how many undergraduate students receive tax benefits, how these benefits affect the cost of college, and how family income plays a role.

Stay connected with federal youth-related activities and initiatives. Many federal agencies offer listservs that regularly announce new funding opportunities and other items of interest. View a list of federal listservs.

The Federal Network for Young Worker Safety and Health strives to prevent occupational injuries among workers from ages 14 through 24.

The Federal Resource Center for Special Education supports the work of the six OSEP-funded Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) that provide technical assistance (TA) to assist states in complying with IDEA and to implement evidence-based educational practices.

The Federal TRIO Programs are educational opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes six outreach and support programs targeted to serve and assist low-income, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs.

The Catalogue of Youth Disaster Preparedness Education Resources was created to assist individuals and organizations with locating preparedness resources tailored to youth of all ages (preschool through college). Research has shown that youth disaster preparedness education is vital to building and maintaining resilient communities—especially when incorporating key recommended practices.

This section of the FEMA website provides information and resources for recovering from disasters. It includes information focused on ensuring safety, coping with disaster, providing assistance, and reunifying family and friends.

The Preparedness Tips for School Administrators fact sheet is comprised of tips and suggestions on preparedness, as well as links to tools and resources specifically for school administrators.  Resources are pulled from FEMA, the Department of Education, CDC, and practitioners in the field. This document can help school administrators answer the questions parents might have regarding emergency management planning and practices. The resource also provides tips for administrators to explain school and parent roles and responsibilities in preparing for and responding to emergencies.

Felipe Castro discusses fidelity and adaptation at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

This review surveys 125 published and unpublished studies related to fidelity and adaptation balance, spanning more than 25 years.

This website is the health, physical activity, fitness and sports information website of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. You can find out about the Council and its work, view publications, and link to the resources of other government agencies as well as to health and fitness organizations

These contacts provide information about partnership with the National School Lunch Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program. They can also provide organizations with access to food during times of disaster.

Systematic reviewers routinely prioritize evidence in numerous ways. This paper provides a framework for understanding the possibilities, considering influential factors, and choosing among the myriad options. This will help enhance the transparency of review processes, which in turn may help users determine how different reviews of the same topic can reach different conclusions.

This is a 58-page report which introduces the CDC’s framework for program evaluation and its key concepts.  It provides in-depth outline of the 6 six steps in program evaluation (engaging stakeholders, describing the program, focusing the evaluation design, gathering credible evidence, justifying conclusions, and ensuring use and sharing lessons learned), as well as 4 standards for effective evaluation (utility, feasibility, propriety, and accuracy).

This web page addresses frequently asked questions about the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model.

In an interview with the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth, Kim Klein, an Oakland, CA fundraising consultant, shares five resolutions youth-serving nonprofits should make in 2012 to help them increase the amount of money they raise from donors.

The G.R.E.A.T. Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum. With prevention as its primary objective, the program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.

This resource page from the OJJDP provides a comprehensive summary about girls and delinquency and their involvement in the juvenile justice system. It also covers more in-depth information about how girls develop differently than boys, how this affects their experiences with the juvenile justice system, and why services need to be tailored to their needs. Evaluation of gender-specific programming has shown encouraging results in substance abuse and gang prevention programs for girls.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth is featuring information on its website for individuals who work in youth shelters who want to help other staff get used to a “low-barrier” approach, meaning young people are not turned away because they have been drinking or using drugs.

Brian Flay dicusses aligning goals between programs and settings at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

Grants.gov is a secure, reliable entry way to discretionary federal grants from multiple agencies. Applicants can use a single comprehensive site to discover and apply for opportunities from all 26 federal grant-making agencies.

An OJDDP report on the growth of youth gang problems in the United States between 1970-1998.

The United States Department of Education (ED) and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) collectively issues a guidance to explain how, within existing law, postsecondary institutions can voluntarily consider race to achieve diversity.

The Guideposts for Success are a framework to assist the multiple organizations that need to be involved to meet the needs and improve the transition outcomes of all youth, including youth with disabilities. The guideposts discuss school-based services, career preparation, leadership opportunities, community services, and family involvement supports for youth with mental health needs.

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) interviewed staff from three model programs using harm reduction to help youth experiencing homelessness.

This resource provides technical assistance to health centers. The Bureau of Primary Health Care has developed partnerships with state, regional and other national organizations to provide:

• Training and technical assistance on fiscal and program management
• Operational and administrative support
• Program development/analysis
• Primary care/clinical care development and operations
• Support to meet the needs of special populations
• Support to develop and implement health and other information technology systems

Take health care into your own hands, explore insurance coverage options and learn about how the Affordable Care Act impacts you. Find information for individuals, families, senior citizens, people with disabilities, young adults and employers.

HRTW provides information and resources regarding integrating health into the transition process, including understanding systems, access to quality health care and health insurance, and increasing the involvement of youth in health promotion, self care and decision making.

The Healthy Homes program provides homeowners and rental property owners with practical information about how to prevent health and safety hazards. Specific problems such as asthma, allergies and mold are discussed.

Healthy People provides science-based, ten year national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease.

The prevalence of overweight among children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 7% in 1980 to 18.8% in 2004. The rate among adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, increasing from 5% to 17.1%. This fact sheet provides information about the problem of overweight in children.

Fact sheet about nutrition and the health of young people.

Released by the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) and the PACER Center, and featured on Disability.gov, the report, “Preparing for Employment: On the Home Front,” illustrates how parents can help prepare their children for employment.

The Gateway brings together key health and human services data and statistics. It is designed to complement other government resources such as FirstGov and FedStats. The Gateway covers federal, state and local government sponsored information.

This report from the National Center for Education Statistics analyzes problems in postsecondary educational attainment by gender, race, and ethnic origin. Numerous factors that might play a role in educational attainment challenges, including poverty, school characteristics, and financial issues are also analyzed.

The Homelessness Resource Center is an interactive community of providers, consumers, policymakers, researchers, and public agencies at federal, state, and local levels.

The National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth (NCFY) published this short list of hotline numbers that every youth should have, especially youth dealing with homelessness.

A report by the U.S. Department of Commerce: Children and young adults have embraced new information technologies in large numbers. More than any other age group, these younger age groups use computers and the Internet widely for many of their daily activities.

This resource  illustrates how smoking can directly affect your health, and includes an infographic that describes how smoking negatively affects specific parts of your body.

This document lays out the strategic goals and implementation plan for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The purpose of this guidance is to assist State and community planners in applying the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Strategic Prevention Framework to identify and select evidence-based interventions that address local needs and reduce substance abuse problems.

The Department of Education's report, “Impact in Place: A Progress Report on the Department of Education’s Place-Based Strategy,”  illustrates the Department’s recent adoption of a “place-based” approach, an approach that helps the government better support communities’ responses to challenges by developing solutions that tackle multiple problems.

This fact sheet gives an overview of the five original communities that were awarded grants to implement demonstration projects of the Comprehensive Gang Model.

The Department of Education's “Action Plan for Improving Measures of Postsecondary Student Success,”  takes steps to change the current measures of student success in postsecondary education. This document was developed in response to the Department’s finding that current federal data on graduation rates is incomplete and does not convey the full picture of student outcomes at two-year institutions.

This report from the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration describes the creation of the Indian and Native American Summer Youth Employment Initiative and how grantees used their Recovery Act funds to implement programs.

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability, which is supported by the Department of Labor, features information on its website that answers the question, “What is an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP)?” Readers can learn when an ILP is used, what information it contains, and how students can use ILPs to map interests and goals as they relate to future education and employment opportunities.

Find state-specific information about health insurance coverage

This summary reports the interim results of OJJDP's research and development initiative to assess, test, and disseminate information on intensive aftercare program models that are theory driven and based on risk assessment.

The Interagency Council on Homelessness works to coordinate the Federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the effectiveness of the Federal Government in contributing to the end of homelessness.

This site, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology, includes a consolidated list of federal links providing information on internet safety for children and youth.

This report presents data on nonfatal intimate partner violence among households in the United States from 1993 to 2010, reflecting trends by sex and examining intimate partner violence against women by the victim’s age, race, marital status, and household composition. .

Job Corps is the nation's largest career technical training and education program for students ages 16 through 24.

The National Center for Juvenile Justice published this report, which profiles more than 1.5 million delinquency cases and more than 140,000 status offense cases processed by courts with juvenile jurisdiction in 2009 and tracks trends in delinquency and petitioned status offense cases over several decades.

This bulletin provides an overview of research on the deterrent effects of transferring youth from juvenile to criminal courts, focusing on large-scale comprehensive OJJDP-funded studies on the effect of transfer laws on recidivism.

These resources, published by the Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, aim to help communities meet the mental and behavioral health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system.

This Bulletin lists the parameters under which the current 164 JUMP projects operate and describes the scope and methodology of the Juvenile Mentoring Program's ongoing national evaluation.

This blog post from the Federal Trade Commission highlights a new infographic, titled “Keeping Up with Kids’ Apps” that can help parents as they make decisions about what apps their children should download.

Many workers aren't aware of the laws that protect their health benefits. This Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration video provides information for workers about their health care rights. The video also has links to additional information to help workers take full advantage of their employer-sponsored benefits.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products. You can find information on over 5,000 product recalls and recall alerts on the CPSC website.

This tip sheet describes tips for integrating positive youth development into the services you provide to youth and families. It also provides resources on positive youth development and provides tips on increasing youth involvement and participation in RHY programs.

Stephanie Fanjul discusses lessons from a state intermediary at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

As part of her “Let’s Move” program, First Lady Michelle Obama has created a new website, “Let’s Move Active Schools,” where schools can identify their fitness needs, set fitness goals and measure progress, and celebrate successes. The website also provides information about grants and resources, and profiles of schools that have successfully used physical activity to help students thrive. Learn more.

This infographic presents information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how they affect behavior and health.

This resource from the Children’s Bureau  provides information to youth in foster care on psychotropic medication, and the role they can have in their overall health care, as well as alternate approaches to treatment.

Under this program, state educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as other children and youth.

This compendium provides research and prevention specialists with a set of tools to evaluate programs to prevent youth violence. The compendium includes more than 100 measures, mostly focused on individuals' violence-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

The National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth released a Q&A with Shannon Minter, legal director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, featuring tips for working specifically with transgender and gender non-conforming youth.

This Locator, developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, provides comprehensive information about mental health services and resources and is useful for professionals, consumers and their families, and the public. Search by state, zip code, and service type to find resources available in your area.

This Bulletin discusses federally-supported mentoring intiatives, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and how mentoring has changed in response to evaluations.

This report describes the changes and updates made to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System since 2004, and provides results of methods studies that systematically examined how different survey procedures affect prevalence estimates.

This site helps military youth cope with a deployment or move.

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) and Junior Achievement partnered to launch MindYourOwnBiz.org for students interested in business. The site offers training material, tips, videos, profiles of student business stories and more. SBA and Junior Achievement provide tools for young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into business ventures

This Bulletin provides promising prevention approaches, summarizes the risk factors challenging youth, features effective prevention programs supported by OJJDP, and describes planning, training, and technical assistance opportunities available through OJJDP's Community Prevention Grants.

This 59-page tool is designed to help communities engage diverse stakeholders to develop and implement a communitywide vision for improving health care quality and managing costs.  Within each of 8 modules (Collaborative leadership, Public at-large engagement, Quality and efficiency measurement, Public reporting, Provider incentives, Consumer incentives, Strategy for improving quality, and Health information technology and exchange), this tool describes in detail why, when, how, and who to contact as relevant stakeholders. 

This initiative shines a spotlight on the role libraries and museums play in bringing about positive change in the lives of young people. These new tools will help libraries and museums do it better.

This resource for adults and youth helps laid-off workers and other career changers find new occupations to explore. Users can identify occupations that require skills and knowledge similar to their current or previous job, learn more about these suggested matches, locate local training programs, and/or apply for jobs.

The Board on Children, Youth, and Families (BCYF) addresses a variety of policy-relevant issues related to the health and development of children, youth, and families. It does so by convening experts to weigh in on matters from the perspective of the behavioral, social, and health sciences.

As the Nation's principal health statistics agency, this site compiles statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of our people.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School assists states and communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bicycle to school. The National Center serves as the information clearinghouse for the federal Safe Routes to School program. The organization also provides technical support and resources and coordinates online registration efforts for U.S. Walk to School Day and facilitates worldwide promotion and participation.

The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures.

The National Resource Center for Tribes will join the Children's Bureau's Child Welfare Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) Network which is designed to improve child welfare systems and to support States and Tribes in achieving sustainable, systemic change that results in greater safety, permanency, and well-being for children, youth, and families.

NCFY is a free information service for Community, organizations, and individuals interested in developing new and effective strategies for supporting young people and their families. Their website includes youth development resources, funding announcements for FYSB's programs, free publications, and a calendar of conferences and trainings.

These primers are aimed at providing guidelines for coalitions navigating the HHS/SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). Each primer is designed to stand alone and work with the others in the series. While they primarily focus on the planning process on SAMHSA's SPF, the steps can be applied by any community coalition.

The NCVS is the nation’s primary source for information on criminal victimization. Data is reported on the likelihood of victimization by certain types of assault and by different segments of the population such as women, the elderly, and racial groups.

This document describes the national approach to disaster recovery that focuses on unity and collaboration. The core principles of the approach include individual and family empowerment, leadership and local primacy, pre-disaster recovery planning, partnerships and inclusiveness, public information, unity of effort, timeliness and flexibility, resilience and sustainability, and psychological and emotional recovery.

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) supports the national implementation of provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide successful school outcomes for students with disabilities. NDPC-SD supports states in assisting local education agencies to increase school completion rates and decrease dropout rates among students with disabilities.

FEMA’s National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS) is an online, secure system that helps family reunification when individuals are separated during a disaster. It provides a platform for survivors and their loved ones to communicate their location as well as provide a personalized message. A call center is also available to assist people who do not have Internet access.

The National Fruit & Vegetable Program is a public private partnership. It is a confederation of government, not-for-profit groups and industry groups working collaboratively and synergistically to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables for improved public health.

Created by the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the National Girls Institute website functions as a resource to help meet the needs of agencies and organizations that serve at-risk and delinquent girls, as well as the girls themselves. Users can request training and technical assistance and access information about best practices, tools, research, and events.

The NGC mission is to provide physicians and other health professionals, health care providers, health plans, integrated delivery systems, purchasers, and others an accessible mechanism for obtaining objective, detailed information on clinical practice guidelines and to further their dissemination, implementation, and use

This site acts as the central source of information on vaccines and immunizations for Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

NIJ is the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and is dedicated to researching crime control and justice issues. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the state and local levels.

This website contains links to fact sheets on what parents need to know about marijuana and nicotine, as well as free science-based educational materials developed by NIDA. These materials were developed specifically for parents & teachers

View the video that includes the highlights from the week-long 2011 National Intertribal Youth Summit (NIYS), held last July in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This event was attended by more than 160 youth representing nearly 50 tribes.

NNCC unites the expertise of many of the nation's leading universities through the outreach system of Cooperative Extension. Our goal is to share knowledge about children and child care from the vast resources of the land grant universities with parents, professionals, practitioners, and the general public.

The Center assists SEAs to develop and implement rigorous and practical post-school outcome data systems to track the early adult experiences of youth who had IEPs while in high school. It also helps states collect, analyze, and use post-school outcome data to improve the quality of secondary and transition programs for youth with disabilities.

The National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections at the Hunter College School of Social Work is a training, technical assistance, and information services organization dedicated to help strengthen the capacity of State, local, Tribal and other publicly administered or supported child welfare agencies in order to: institutionalize a safety-focused, family-centered, and community-based approach to meet the needs of children, youth and families.

The National Runaway Switchboard is a national communications system that assists youth who have run away or are considering running away and their families. With its database of more than 17,000 resources, NRS links youth and families across the country to shelters, counseling, medical assistance, and other vital services. In addition, NRS works to prevent youth from running away. By helping youth and adults resolve problems constructively, staff and volunteers diffuse escalating tensions, promote dialogue and reduce youths' desire to run away.

The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) helps states build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities and disseminates information and provides technical assistance on scientifically-based research practices with an emphasis on building and sustaining state-level infrastructures of support and district-level demonstrations of effective transition methods for youth with disabilities.

Youth violence can be prevented. This strategy provides a framework for action.

The National Dating Abuse Helpline is the direct service provider behind loveisrespect.org, operating the 24/7 text, phone, and live chat services. The texting function of the Helpline allows for users to text the Helpline advocates 24 hours a day, seven days a week about anything ranging from questions about healthy dating to raising red flags about relationships. The Helpline’s peer advocates serve thousands of teens and young adults through the 24/7 phone service.

NVDRS collects data on violent deaths from a variety of sources, including death certificates, police reports, medical examiner and coroner reports, and crime laboratories.

This annual survey of law enforcement agencies is developed and implemented by the National Gang Center and is used to assess the extent of gang problems by measuring the presence, characteristics, and behaviors of local gangs in jurisdictions throughout the country.

Natural disasters such as flood, fire, earthquake, tornado and windstorm affect thousands of people every year.  You should know what your risks are and prepare to protect yourself, your family and community. Recognizing an impending hazard and knowing what to do to protect yourself and your family will help you take effective steps to prepare beforehand and aid recovery after the event. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling a supply kit and developing a family emergency plan, are the same for all types of hazards.

HUD created Neighborhood Networks in 1995 to encourage property owners to establish multiservice community learning centers in HUD insured and assisted properties. Neighborhood Networks was one of the first federal initiatives to promote self-sufficiency and help provide computer access to low-income housing communities. Neighborhood Networks centers are alike. With support from innovative public-private partnerships, Neighborhood Networks centers sponsor a range of services and programs.

This site lists links to program information for Nutrition Assistance Programs through Food and Nutrition Service.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was authorized by Congress in the Department of Labor's FY 2001 appropriation. ODEP provides information for families, professionals, and communities on transitioning youth with disabilities into training and employment opportunities.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization.

This resource provides technical assistance to public and Indian housing authorities.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) understands the many challenges still facing individuals with disabilities and their families. Therefore, OSERS is committed to improving results and outcomes for people with disabilities of all ages. OSERS supports programs that serve millions of children, youth and adults with disabilities.

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, provides national leadership in developing the nation's capacity to reduce violence against women through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The Federal Trade Commission manages OnGuardOnline.gov, in partnership with other federal agencies. OnGuardOnline.gov is a partner in the Stop Think Connect campaign, led by the Department of Homeland Security, and part of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This is an educational website, providing educators, parents, kids, and others with information on online safety.

MilitaryKidsConnect.org, a Department of Defense-sponsored website, features content for children, tweens, and teens of military families. The site provides an online community that allows these young people to support one another while learning coping and resilience-building skills

The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth released this list of recommended resources on sexually transmitted diseases, including information geared specifically to teens and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.

The Technical Assistance on Transition and the Rehabilitation Act (TATRA) Project offers Parent Information and Training Programs funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) a variety of services to help them achieve their goals. Individualized services for each center are identified in technical assistance plans on an annual basis.

Part 2 of the 2009-10 Civil Rights Data Collection  identifies inequalities in schools and suggests solutions to close the educational achievement gap in America.

This factsheet discusses the process and criteria behind PEPnet, a practice-based system that identifies and promotes effective youth development and employment programs and maintains an extensive database resource.

Fact sheet about playground injuries in the United States. Includes an overview, occurrence, and cost information.

The Department of Health and Human Services' HealthBeat podcast featured a study on the Economics and and Human Biology journal that found that families who spend just a few minutes longer at the dinner table tend to have children with healthier weights. 

In a podcast featured in the latest update from the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth, Bryan Samuels, commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, and Andrew Barnett, executive director of the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, discuss the need to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in teen pregnancy prevention efforts.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth produced a podcast featuring a Miami street outreach worker, who specializes in helping victims of sex trafficking, discussing how to approach and help sexually exploited youth.

Taking action now can save lives, prevent injury, and minimize property damage in the moments of a crisis. Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities is designed to help navigate the process of reviewing and revising school and district plans. The guide is intended to give schools, districts, and communities the critical concepts and components of good crisis planning, stimulate thinking about the crisis preparedness process, and provide examples of promising practices.

Preparing for disasters involves creating plans, preparing to manage during a disaster, and enhancing critical infrastructure prior to a disaster.

Preserve America Stewards is a designation program that recognizes organizations and agencies for volunteer programs that help care for our historic heritage. Preserve America Stewards run programs that 1) provide volunteers with opportunities to contribute in direct and tangible ways to the preservation of historic properties; 2) address an otherwise unfilled need in heritage preservation through the use of volunteers; and 3) are innovative in areas such as youth involvement, volunteer training, public education, and public/private partnerships.

A report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 17% of children and adolescents, and one-third of adults, were obese in 2009–2010.

This In Brief Web edition provides highlights from the Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders, Second Edition booklet. It presents the updated prevention principles, an overview of program planning, and critical first steps for those learning about prevention.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration  released, “Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools,” which represents the best available evidence on preventing suicide among high school students. The toolkit contains recommended steps and accompanying tools to help schools create and implement strategies and programs that promote behavioral health and prevent suicide.

Prevention Pathways offer prevention courses that are free to the public. Some courses are meant for professionals and have continuing education credits available. Other courses are designed to provide helpful information to members of the general public interested in prevention topics.

This resource lists behavioral therapies shown to be effective in addressing substance abuse.

These tip sheets, developed by Penn State Extension, are teaching tools that apply scientific and communication principles to an extension evaluation problem in the field.

Project LAUNCH is a grant program of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which seeks to promote the wellness of young children birth to age eight. Using a public health approach, Project LAUNCH focuses on improving the systems that serve young children and address their physical, emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral growth. The goal: for all children to reach physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive milestones.

This toolkit, developed by the Department of Justice's Federal Interagency Task Force on Drug Endangered Children, aims to help professionals serving drug-endangered children by identifying promising practices in the field, as well as why these practice works and resources to assist in their implementation.

A report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration illustrates the heightened risk of young people in juvenile justice and child welfare systems having experienced traumatic events and developing mental health conditions. However, as the report states, appropriate care for these children and youth can promote recovery and resilience.

The ICAC Program can help State and local law enforcement agencies to develop an effective response to online enticement and child pornography cases.

This booklet offers resources for those working with children in the wake of disaster. It discusses theories of child development as applied to a youth experiencing the fear, anxiety, and trauma of disaster and offers practical suggestions, case studies, and a resource guide.

This report reveals that high school graduation rates are at their highest level since 1974. The report states that during the 2009-10 school year, 78.2 percent of high school students nationwide graduated on time, an increase from the 73.4 percent recorded in 2005-6.

This guide provides information about how you can put positive youth development principles into practice

The National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth spoke with Alicia Wilson-Ahlstrom, a lead author of the report, From Soft Skills to Hard Data, to learn more about how to choose the right outcome-measurement tool for a youth program.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth has published a Q&A on its website about how youth workers can help young people who have come to the United States illegally, are without a guardian, and may have found themselves in immigration court.

The CDC is leading an initiative to test Dating Matters, a teen dating violence prevention program that includes evidence-based and evidence-informed curricula and training for middle school students, their parents, teachers, and others. This Q&A with Andra Tharp, the CDC health scientist who leads the initiative, explains what she and her colleagues hope to achieve with this project.

This funding stream supports educational success by adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy; building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction; recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and turning around our lowest-achieving schools.

The Ready Campaign of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, educating and empowering Americans to prepare for emergencies.

This section of the Ready.gov website features resources, activities, and information for parents and teachers to use in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

The REALifelines Advisor provides veterans and transitioning service members wounded and injured as a result of the War on Terrorism, and their family members, with the resources they need to successfully transition to a rewarding career.

Children react differently to a flood and its aftermath depending on their age, developmental level, and prior experiences. Some will respond by withdrawing, while others will have angry outbursts. Still others will become agitated or irritable. Parents should attempt to remain sensitive to each child's reactions.

The Department of Justice’s Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center offers free, web-based, foundational distance learning opportunities that present best practices and strategies for reducing underage drinking. Participants can receive a certificate upon completion.

Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the new web-based Refugee Services Toolkit is designed to help service providers identify the mental health needs of refugee children and their families and connect them with the most appropriate interventions.

This fact sheet provides general information to help determine whether interns must be paid the minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act for the services that they provide to “for-profit” private sector employers.

The Department of Labor's Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) Program targets court-involved youth, young adults, and adult ex-offenders through a variety of discretionary grant awards. Organizations partner with juvenile and adult justice systems to assist in providing employment and training to this population of individuals who may find it difficult to obtain employment or training without additional assistance. Projects support a comprehensive strategy for serving youth in a local area to which many are returning from juvenile correctional or detention facilities.

Ed Mishrell discusses replicating evidence based programs in Boys and Girls Clubs at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

This resource, developed by the National Institute of Justice, provides process and outcome evaluation results and a discussion of anti-gang and anti-gun-violence programs.

ROSS links public housing residents with supportive services, resident empowerment activities, and assistance in becoming economically self-sufficient

The Department of Health and Human Services' National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth website outlines the “three big lessons” about social media fundraising and how these lessons can help youth-serving nonprofits as they try to raise money.

This paper discusses how risk assessment tools for adolescents are constructed and used, as well as challenges for using them.

This site is a meeting place that provides members of the RHYTTAC CoP with opportunities to participate in discussion forums, member profiles, photo gallery, file storage, and more.

This site provides contact information for Rural Development State Offices.

The Rural Information Center (RIC) provides services for rural communities, local officials, organizations, businesses and rural citizens working to maintain the vitality of America's rural areas.

CPSC has long been concerned about hazards in the home, especially as they affect young children. Because similar hazards may be present in organized child care settings, CPSC staff conducted a national study of potential dangers in these settings to identify how to help prevent injuries and ensure greater safety for children.

Many workers don't realize how important it is to get an early start on saving for retirement. This Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration video provides information for workers about the importance of saving for retirement and how to get started. The video also has links to additional online tools to help workers take full advantage of their employer-sponsored benefits.

This easy-to-understand publication starts you on the way to setting goals and putting your retirement high on the list of personal priorities.  This booklet will help clarify your retirement goals and help you make saving for retirement and other goals a habit.  You’ll learn that there is no such thing as starting too early or too late. Also available in Spanish.

Robert Slavin discusses scaling up Success for All at the Emphasizing Evidence Based Programs for Children and Youth Forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

Information and resources regarding school bus safety.

These documents were designed to provide information for planning and conducting school-located 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination clinics that target school-aged children enrolled in school and potentially other groups in the community. The page also includes a link to CDC's seasonal flu information. 

The Seniorcorps Foster Grandparent website offers information on becoming a foster grand parent. As a foster grandparent, you're a role model and friend. Serving at one of thousands of local organizations, you help children learn to read, provide one-on-one tutoring, and guide children at a critical time in their lives.

This report by the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presents statistics and trends for sexually transmitted diseases in the United States through 2011. 

This booklet is for the parents, caregivers or representatives of children younger than age 18 who have disabilities that might make them eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. It helps these individuals decide if their child is eligible.

The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy released this collection of career development exercises that aim to improve the "soft skills" of young workers, including those with disabilities.

The Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has released a Spanish translation of a publication for youth who were abducted as children and are working towards recovery.

This Spanish version of the guide educates parents and teachers about common reactions children and youth may have after experiencing a disaster or traumatic event and provides tips for responding in a helpful way.

The Bulletin summarizes the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and analyzes their relevance to the juvenile justice process-from intake and initial interview to institutional placement and secure confinement.

The State Department provides students with tips to be smart and safe as they take Spring Break vacations.

Parents play a crucial role in discouraging their children from beginning to use alcohol. The resources below will help parents discuss this important issue with their children and brainstorm ways for them to refuse offers of alcohol from their peers.

The DNPAO State-based Physical Activity Program Directory site provides information about physical activity programs involving state departments of health. Use this site to research programs, gather ideas, and share information.

StopAlcoholAbuse.Gov is a comprehensive portal of Federal resources for information on underage drinking and ideas for combating this issue. People interested in underage drinking prevention-including parents, educators, community-based organizations, and youth-will find a wealth of valuable information here.

Like the English-language version of StopBullying.gov, the new website provides teachers, parents, and community leaders with the resources they need to prevent bullying, including a Spanish-language Bullying Prevention Training Module.

This program is aimed at improving the reading skills of middle school- and high school-aged students who are reading below grade level.

SAMHSA's mission is to build resilience and facilitate recovery for people with or at risk for mental or substance use disorders.

 OJJDP sponsored a process evaluation of the Blueprints programs to systematically measure common implementation barriers experienced across a variety of contexts and programs. This Bulletin presents the results of the process evaluation, identifying critical components of program implementation.

OJJDP and the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data have collaborated to release the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) 2003 which presents data about youth in the juvenile justice system, including details about their background, offense histories, alcohol and drug use, and more.

Take Pride in America, is a nationwide partnership program authorized by Congress to promote the appreciation and stewardship of our nation's public lands. The Take Pride in America program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior for the benefit of all public lands at all levels of government nationwide.

The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy provides a resource focused on how schools and employment opportunities can teach soft skills, specifically for students with disabilities.

Team Nutrition is an initiative of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to support the Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance for foodservice, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. Team Nutrition's Goal is to improve children's lifelong eating and physical activity habits by using the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid

The TA Partnership, a collaboration of organizations, provides a model for the family/youth professional relationship that is an essential value of the systems of care work. Families and youth must share a leadership role in planning, implementing, and evaluating family-driven and youth-guided systems of care in their community.

This site provides information about teen dating violence

As reported in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, between 2008 and 2010, an annual average of 1.4 million girls aged 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode (MDE), which is three times the rate of their male peers. The percentage of girls who experienced an MDE tripled between the ages of 12 and 15.

A information packet, developed by the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections and featured on the Children's Bureau website, addresses how certain provisions of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) create barriers to reunification for incarcerated mothers. The packet also includes information about amendments that some states have made to ASFA to address these issues, best practice tips for working with children of incarcerated parents, and other related resources    

The report indicates that school-based physical activity may help improve students' grades and test scores and positively affect other factors that influence academic achievement. The report also concludes that adding time during the school day for physical activity does not appear to take away from academic performance.

A principal vehicle by which OSDFS communicates with the field, and provides information on research-based activities, best practices, and other information related to effective drug abuse and violence prevention strategies.

This report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the total lifetime estimated financial costs associated with just one year of confirmed cases of child maltreatment is approximately $124 billion.

Weekly, archived newsletters from the Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.

This Q&A from the Department of Health and Human Services explains how the  federal rule, “Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity,” will benefit youth.

Conducts intensive reviews to help determine which program and policy interventions have been proven effective, conducted a systematic review of youth development interventions with an impact on adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes. The Guide found evidence to recommend interventions that are coordinated with community service to reduce sexual risk behaviors in adolescents.

A new report from the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, “The Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in School Accountability Systems,” provides information on school-level accountability for those schools accountable for the performance of the students with disabilities subgroup under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The National High School Center serves as the central source of information and expertise on high school improvement for the Regional Comprehensive Centers (RCCs).

The REMS Technical Assistance Center supports public and non-public schools, school districts, and institutions of higher education in school emergency management, including the development and implementation of comprehensive all-hazards emergency management plans. The TA Center disseminates information about school emergency management to help individual schools, school districts, and institutions of higher education learn more about developing, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive, all-hazards school emergency management plans.

This report describes the causes of obesity, the problem of obesity among children and youth, and suggestions for physical activity and healthier eating.

The Unaccompanied Minors Registry (URM) will be administered by the NCMEC and supported by FEMA. It will be available during all disasters to gather and share information with local law enforcement and assist in the reunification of displaced children with their families or legal guardians. The URM will allow for a more expedient and efficient reunification of unaccompanied minors with their families and legal guardians when separated by a disaster and supports the ability to collect, store, report, and act on information related to children missing or lost as a result of a disaster.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service, in partnership with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, have created THRIVE: Tribal Health Reaching out InVolves Everyone, a suicide prevention and anti-bullying prevention campaign for American Indian/Alaska Native youth.

This brochure, which is based on discussions with some three dozen experts who work with students, provides practical information for parents and students who are coping with the aftermath of a natural disaster, as well as teachers, coaches, school administrators and others who are helping those affected.

This fact sheet helps teachers recognize and address problems in children and teens affected by trauma after an act of violence. It describes signs of stress reactions that are common in young trauma survivors at different ages and offers tips on how to help.

Too Smart to Start is a public education initiative that provides research-based strategies and materials to professionals and volunteers at the community level to help implement an underage alcohol use prevention program. The goal of TSTS is to decrease the risk of underage alcohol use by increasing the knowledge and skills of 9-13 year-olds and their parents and caregivers so they can positively address underage alcohol use issues.

Retirement is expensive.  Take charge of your financial future and start preparing now.  This brochure outlines ten steps to help you start saving for retirement. Also available in Spanish.

This resource provides technical assistance to victim service providers and allied professionals.

The National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth conducted an interview that educates readers about the effect that trauma can have on teen brain development. Research suggests that the brains of teens who experience homelessness or abuse can develop differently than the brains of their peers who grow up in safe and supportive homes.

This report released by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration illustrates that children and youth participating in community-based programs, who are involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, demonstrate improved outcomes after receiving trauma-informed services.

The site features the latest announcements, press releases, speeches and information regarding Department of Justice initiatives in tribal communities. It also provides comprehensive resources available through the Office of Tribal Justice and the Department's grant-making divisions: the Office of Justice Programs, Community Oriented Policing Services and the Office on Violence Against Women. Access to the Department's Combined Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) is also available on the Web site.

From the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Trinka and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day is a story developed to help young children and their families begin to talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced a hurricane. In the story, Trinka and Sam, two small mice, become scared and worried when it begins to rain and storm. The rain and wind remind them of the hurricane they experienced before. The story describes some of their reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their feelings and feel safer.

National Safe Place has created TXT 4 HELP Interactive, which allows youth to text live with a mental health professional.

Recursos en espanol (Resources for Spanish Speakers), provides resources in Spanish about the U.S. Department of Education and programs to assist parents, youth and children.

U.S.A. learns is a free site for adults to learn English and improve basic reading, writing, speaking, and life skills.

(UDET) Center is to create healthier and safer environments in States, local communities, and Federal entities engage in environmental prevention and enforcement practices that proactively and effectively limit youth access to alcohol and significantly reduce harmful consequences associated with alcohol use by underage youth

These reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation summarize arrest data from police agencies across the country, from 1995 to the present day. Topics covered include crime in the U.S., hate crime, and law enforcement officers killed and assaulted

First released in 2000, the School Health Index (SHI) is a self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs. The updated edition includes an expanded focus on sexual health, revised cross-cutting modules, and updated nutrition content.

USAspending.gov provides federal funding information to the public, as collected from federal agencies, in an easy to use website. The data is largely from sources: the Federal Procurement Data System, which contains information about federal contracts; and the Federal Assistance Award Data System, which contains information about federal financial assistance such as grants, loans, insurance, and direct subsidies like Social Security.

This website describes food, agriculture, and natural resource careers at the US Department of Agriculture.

Mark Lipsey discusses using research synthesis to develop evidence informed interventions at the emphasizing evidence based programs for children and youth forum held in Washington, D.C. on April 27-28, 2011.

The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration features information on its Parent Central website to help parents keep kids safe while they are on the road. 

This Bulletin discusses the expansion of the role of victims in juvenile courts through the increased use of Restorative Justice.

Data from CDC's National Vital Statistics System for 2006 and 2007 show that rates of firearm homicide were generally higher among residents of the nation's largest metropolitan areas than for the U.S. overall, with rates for central cities often among the highest. Rates of firearm homicide among youth 10-19 years old often exceeded rates for residents of all ages in these areas. In contrast, firearm suicides often occurred at lower rates among residents in the nation's largest metropolitan areas and central cities than for the nation overall.

The Department of Labor released a Workplace Flexibility Toolkit, which provides information on workplace flexibility, specifically around job tasks and what work is done, to employees, job seekers, employers, policymakers, and researchers. The toolkit facilitates access to over 170 resources especially for workers and job seekers with complex employment situations, such as at-risk youth, ex-offenders, and individuals with disabilities.

This report from the National Corporation for Community Service contains up–to-date information on volunteer participation and civic involvement in America. Key findings indicate that the volunteer rate for parents is higher than the national average, and that schools and youth service organizations are the most popular places for parents to volunteer.

Regular updates and alerts from the National Weather Service.

This booklet is designed to help you take small and simple steps to keep a healthy weight. It gives you basic facts about nutrition and physical activity, and offers practical tools that you can use in your everyday life, from reading food labels and selecting how much and what foods to eat, to replacing TV time with physical activities.

A  research brief, “What are Districts’ Written Policies Regarding Student Substance-Related Incidents?” presents the findings from a study commissioned by the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. The study examined substance-related policies for the 100 largest school districts in the country

Researchers at West Chester University of Pennsylvania assessed teen dating violence prevention programs to determine if they met nine criteria of effective prevention programs. Safe Dates, a school-based prevention program, was the only program to meet all criteria and could therefore be called a “model program.”

Developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and featured on the Children's Bureau's website, this guide provides information to public child welfare agencies and caseworkers on working with incarcerated parents and their children. Goals of the primer include familiarizing child welfare professionals with the impact of incarceration and providing information to child welfare and correctional systems to help improve permanency outcomes for children.

The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau's publication, "Why Green is Your Color: A Woman's Guide to a Sustainable Career,” is designed to help women, including young women exploring career opportunities and newly entering the workforce, find and keep higher paying jobs in the clean energy economy.

This program provides formula funds to states for local resources to deliver a comprehensive array of youth services that focus on assisting at-risk and disadvantaged youth attain education and skills for PSE and employment.

This site helps young adults plan their next steps in life by bringing together the most recently available information about colleges, careers and military services. Designed primarily for individuals between 16 and 24, the site features information drawn and collated from the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Defense, Education and Labor.

This resource explains the risks of inappropriate use of prescription drugs, and provides tips to young people in college about keeping their medicines safely from other students.

This resource from the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration provides teens, educators, parents, and employers with information on young worker issues. Details about workers' rights and links to training and other educational tools, including state youth employment laws, may also be found on this site.

The Youth Connections Community of Practice (CoP) allows practitioners in the youth employment field to discuss and share promising practices and technical assistance, and to network. Youth Connections is hosted by the Division of Youth Services in the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA). It is the only CoP explicitly designed for professionals involved in youth workforce development issues, and DOL encourages your contributions and participation in this site.

Youth Indicators is a statistical compilation of data on the distribution of youth, their family structure, economic factors, school and extracurricular activities, health factors, and other elements that constitute the world of young people between the ages of 14 to 24.

Focus groups are one strategy for including youth voice in improving services to children and youth in care. This section contains tips on conducting focus groups and sample questions and debriefing tools.

The purpose of the Public Speaking guide is to assist experienced youth leaders or supportive adults in preparing youth for speaking engagements.

The Travel Guide includes everything you need to know about travel, from packing and flying, to spending money and earning credit. The guide contains travel tips, packing lists, and more.

This fact sheet from FEMA provides an overview of the importance of youth preparedness and tips for including youth preparedness in programs.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, including behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. This report summarizes findings from the national survey.

Educational resources and materials on youth tobacco use prevention, such as videos, tip sheets, and posters.

This resource from the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers educational resources and materials, such as videos, tip sheets, and posters related to youth tobacco prevention.

This section of the Youth Violence report lists descriptions of specific programs that meet standards for model and promising categories

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website with information for youth about their rights and responsibilities as workers.

Youthbuild provides an alternative education pathway that encourages at-risk youth to obtain a high school diploma or GED, while advancing toward employment while developing leadership skills and serving the community.

A publication from the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Corrections, “You’re an Adult Now: Youth in Adult Criminal Justice Systems,” discusses the lack of information available about how to manage juvenile offenders who are placed in adult prison settings.