Breadcrumb
- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
Share with Youth: This Free Life
This campaign aims to prevent and reduce tobacco use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) young adults, ages 18-24, who are occasional smokers. As highlighted in a recent blog post describing the campaign, LGBT young adults in the United States are nearly twice as likely to use tobacco as other young adults.
Bullying Prevention Campaign
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.
Child Health USA
The Child Health USA Databook is an annual report of the health status, well-being and service needs of America's children and youth. Coalitions, program planners and policy makers can identify national trends by examining and comparing data from one year to the next. Indicators for youth, or adolescents, cover multiple issues, including childbearing, substance abuse, violence, mental health treatment, and mortality from traffic and firearms injuries. The section, Population Characteristics, provides information about poverty status and school dropouts. Each topic includes a written summary and at least one graph that clearly depicts key statistical facts.
Second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence
Children’s Exposure to Violence, Crime, and Abuse: An Update (PDF, 16 pages) presents findings from the second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV II), conducted in 2011. NatSCEV II gathered data about exposure to violence among a new group of 4,500 children and youth, and added new categories of crime and victimization. Findings from the NatSCEV II show that 60% of young people were exposed to violence in the past year, and more than one in 10 reported five or more exposures.
SCOTUS Decision Supports LGBT Behavioral Health
This blog post by SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde describes the importance of the Supreme Court’s historic ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which states that the Constitution requires LGBT couples be allowed to marry no matter where they live, and marriages performed in one state must be recognized in every state. The post also highlights other steps the federal government has taken this year to improve the health and well-being of LGBT people.
Archived Webinar: Resettlement in Urban Communities for Refugee Youth
This on-demand webinar features presenters discussing the “double edge sword” that refugee youth may experience after they flee their home country only to be resettled in urban neighborhoods in the United States that have high rates of community violence. Viewers are required to establish a free account with NCTSN to access the presentation.
Report: Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth
This report presents research, clinical expertise, and expert consensus on therapeutic practices related to children's and adolescent's sexual orientation and gender identity, and makes the case for eliminating the use of conversion therapy among this population.
Resource: LGBTQ Youth: Voices of Trauma, Lives of Promise
This video features the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth describing their experiences with trauma related to their identities and how mental health professionals have helped them.
Resource: What Parents Need to Know about Sexual Abuse
This resource (PDF, 58 pages) defines sexual abuse, describes steps parent can take if their child discloses sexual abuse, dispels myths about sexual abuse, and details the impact of sexual abuse on children. This compilation of handouts, fact sheets, and questions & answers developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network can help parents and caregivers understand how to protect their children from — and how to help children who have experienced — sexual abuse.
Resource: When a Child Alleges Sexual Abuse by an Educator or other School Staff: An Educator’s Guide to Appropriate Response and Support
This guide (PDF, 3 pages) describes the role of an educator in responding to disclosures from students about sexual abuse in the school setting. Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, this guide can help educators understand the responsibility to report abuse and support students, the consequences of inappropriate responses, how to support other students, and how to respond to the media.
Share with Youth: Sexual Assault Resources for Teens and their Parents
These resources, developed by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, provide information for teens and their parents about sexual assault:
- Teen Sexual Assault: Information for Teens (PDF, 6 pages)
Explains the difference between consent and coercion, addresses common questions and misconceptions about sexual assault; describes how drugs, alcohol, and the internet can interfere with safety; details how teens can protect themselves; and suggests steps teens can take if they are assaulted.
- Teen Sexual Assault: Information for Parents (PDF, 6 pages)
Explains the difference between consent and coercion; addresses common questions and misconceptions about sexual assault; describes how drugs, alcohol, and the internet can play a part in sexual assault; provides tips on how parents can help their teen stay safe; and explains what to do if their teen is assaulted.
Resource: Understanding and Addressing Trauma and Child Sex Trafficking
This policy brief (PDF, 4 pages), developed by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, describes child sex trafficking, including what it is, who is at risk, the potential consequences, and what can be done to address it. Policymakers and other stakeholders can use this resource to better understand child sex trafficking and its relationship to child trauma, and to develop policy-relevant and child- trauma-focused recommendations to assist with developing responses.
Resource: Mass Violence and Behavioral Health
This bulletin (PDF, 18 pages), developed by SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance Center, describes how mass violence affects the behavioral health of adult, adolescent, and child survivors or witnesses of a mass violence incident. It illustrates the phases of response experienced by survivors, provides information on immediate and long-term interventions, and addresses the effects of media exposure following a mass violence incident. Public health, behavioral health, and emergency management professionals can use this resource to improve disaster behavioral health preparedness plans.
Coping with Grief After Community Violence
This fact sheet provides information on how to cope with grief after an incident of community violence, introduces common signs of grief and anger, and offers tips for helping children deal with grief.