The SS/HS Initiative is a unique Federal grant-making program designed to prevent violence and substance abuse among our Nation's youth, schools, and communities.

The Federal Government is committed to reducing school violence. The SS/HS Initiative is an unprecedented collaborative grant program supported by three Federal agencies-the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice. The SS/HS Initiative seeks to develop real-world knowledge about what works best to promote safe and healthy environments in which America's children can learn and develop.

Since 1999, 365 urban, rural, suburban, and tribal school districts-in collaboration with local mental health and juvenile justice providers-have received grants using a single application process. These grantees are implementing comprehensive programs that address all of the following five elements:

Through grants made to local education authorities, the SS/HS Initiative provides schools and communities across the United States with the benefit of enhanced school and community-based services in an effort to strengthen healthy child development, thus reducing violent behavior and substance use.

The school-based community partnerships include rural, urban, suburban, and tribal projects. School districts submitted comprehensive plans created in partnership with law enforcement officials, local mental health authorities, and often with juvenile justice officials and community-based organizations as well.

Plans are required to address five elements: a safe school environments and violence prevention activities, alcohol and other drug prevention activities, student behavioral, social, and emotional supports, mental health services and early childhood social and emotional learning programs.

The Federal Government is committed to reducing school violence. Therefore, the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice are collaborating to fund school and youth violence prevention grants under the SS/HS Initiative.

These Federal agencies are working together to ensure that Federal funding is channeled to schools and communities that can work together to provide comprehensive educational, mental health, social, law enforcement, and juvenile justice system services that promote healthy child development and school environments that are safe, disciplined, and drug free.

Click on the following links to visit the Federal partners’ Web sites:

For further assistance, please contact Michelle Bechard at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 240-276-1872 or Michelle.Bechard@samhsa.hhs.gov.

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