177875 Implementation and evaluation of a violence prevention program: ERASE

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 9:00 AM

Steven A. Sternlof, PhD , Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
James Fisher, BS , Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Barbara Terral, MA , Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Jeffrey Jones, BA , Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Lauren Johnson , Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
     
The Programs for Preventive Health (PPH) is operated through the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The mission of the PPH is to provide evidence based prevention programs to children that promote overall health and reduce the likelihood of violence, mental health and substance abuse problems. One of these programs is the ERASE (Everyone is Responsible for A Safe Environment) program, which is a manualized, school-wide, violence prevention program for elementary and middle schools in Oklahoma.

The program utilizes an innovative system to prevent and reduce violent behavior through peer modeling and leadership. Student leaders in the school are selected to participate in program activities aimed at learning social skills, drug abuse prevention, including others, coping with negative emotions, and problem solving. The students also learn leadership skills as they communicate program messages back to their classes through scripted outlines covering main learning objectives.

Another innovative component of this program is partnerships with multiple universities across the state that allows for the recruitment of university students to facilitate the ERASE program and other PPH programs. This model permits the program to be widely distributed to many schools with minimal financial burden. It also allows important principles of the program to be applied in a university setting and enables young professionals to train in school health.

Annual program evaluation results indicate that there is a significant difference between target and control groups in both recognition of bullying behavior and efficacy in coping with bullying behavior.

Learning Objectives:
1. To discuss evidence based violence prevention programs and the ERASE program. 2. To educate about the process of establishing partnerships with local universities and recruiting students to participate in prevention efforts as facilitators. 3. To identify new ways of implementing a violence prevention program in an elementary, middle or high school setting. 4. To discuss program evaluation options, methodologies and specific results.

Keywords: Violence Prevention, School-Based Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Principal Investigator for the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Implementation and Evaluation Independent Contractor (contracted research and clinical trials)

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Bullying and Violence Prevention in Schools
See more of: School Health Education and Services