Attendance
- Vermont: Kana Zink, Julia Irish
- Massachusetts: Tatiana Begault, Fatima Apurba, Jane Ayers
- California: Amanda Mangurten, Tarrah Selland, Jaclyn Pasko, Anjelica Montano
- Indiana: Sarah Iwinski-Wallace, Keeley Higley
- Kentucky: Kelli Darland, Kellsie Sutherkand, Christina Howard
- CNMI: (no attendees noted)
Dear BP Team,
It was wonderful to have such a large and engaged group of participants for our topic call on July 14th! We especially appreciate all the helpful feedback that you gave us about the Change Package, the guidance we provide at the start of a new cohort, and the meetings/events/webinars that we host for the CSLC. We look forward to implementing your ideas and suggestions when we launch Cohort 3 in November, and we’re glad that many of you will be continuing your participation.
Here are a few of the highlights that you shared (and thanks to Jenny for her excellent notetaking!):
State Updates
- Vermont has been working on incorporating universal prevention strategies with universal shared risk and protective factors (SRPF) across injury and violence prevention, the VT Agency of Education, and the Department of Mental Health. This project started in the past couple of months and will sustain beyond the end of Cohort 2.
- In Kentucky, 18 local health departments have signed up for Sources of Strength’s bullying prevention and/or suicide prevention initiative.
- The Indiana Youth Upstander Project is underway with 6 schools across 3 districts implementing some type of bullying prevention program.
- Some schools are working at the district level (can continue over summer); others working directly with school staff who are out, so they will need to train staff later in the summer.
- They have developed both a student and a staff survey. They plan to survey the same students more than once over the course of the school year (mostly 6th graders who are receiving the bullying intervention or curriculum. Timing: it makes sense to wait until at least a month or two into the school year before surveying.
- The surveys have been finalized and sent to internal office of public affairs for review before going to schools.
- The California team is finalizing a comprehensive guidance document on bullying. This will be posted on a public-facing website once approved and can be shared with the group.
- In Massachusetts, one of their community partners (MassCOSH) has developed a bullying prevention training for youth to help them recognize and prevent bullying in the workplace. The youth participants will be leading a training session on this topic at their upcoming Labor, Health and Safety Summit.
Questions and Discussion
Jaclyn from CA asked about support related to Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs. Education partners are looking for guidance on adapting bullying prevention models and curricula for children with learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental differences, or those in special or assisted education environments.
- Jane from MA shared that one of their grantees, IMPACT Boston, is funded to focus on school climate and youth with physical and emotional disabilities. They are currently piloting a new curriculum that infuses bullying prevention education with storytelling and healing activities (breathing, sensory engagement, drama and skits).
- Resource: https://impactboston.org
- Jane also noted that quantitative data helps us to understand WHAT happens, but not always WHY; qualitative data documentation is essential. Approaches for data collection with children with special needs include: structured observation over time, caregiver and teacher interviews, adapted tools using pictures or simple yes/no responses, behavioral indicators
- For more information on this topic, you can review the STAW from March 2025 on qualitative data collection and use: https://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/events/new-date-state-technical-assistance-webinar-9-data-driven-storytelling-child-safety-march-4
Jane from MA asked the group for questions on bullying that would be appropriate for their DPH Youth Health Survey, which is conducted in non-YRBS years. They can only add one question, and they are looking for guidance on selecting the best one.
- MA high school questions under consideration:
- Q27: “During the past 12 months, how many times have you been bullied at school?”
- Q32: behaviors including bullying, cyberbullying, and dating violence (yes/no)
- MA middle school questions under consideration:
- Q28: “During the past 12 months, how many times have you been bullied at school?”
- Q29: “During the past 12 months, have you ever been electronically bullied?”
- Jaclyn noted that the CA Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) has relevant examples:
- California School Climate, Health, and Learning Survey (CalSCHLS): https://share.google/7vVUjF2yqfLg19SCL
- CalSCHLS middle school survey: https://calschls.org/site/assets/files/1103/chks-ms-2627-in-school_core_final_watermarked.pdf
- CalSCHLS high school survey: https://calschls.org/site/assets/files/1103/chks-hs-2627-in-school_core_final_watermarked.pdf
- Tatiana (MA) also talked about an anti-bullying survey on workplace violence developed by a board member who has passed related legislation in Massachusetts; she will share at a later time.
What’s Next: Cohort 3 and Upcoming Events
- Cohort 3 Applications due August 31, 2026: Each team received a unique continue application link (be in touch with Caitlin (cflynn@edc.org) if you are having any issues with it). You can use this same application to expand to a new topic as well. Continuing applications for current participants is a quick reaffirmation, not a detailed process.
- August 19, 2026 2:00-3:00p ET State Technical Assistance Webinar: Managing your Child Safety Work through Long and Short-Term Goals. Open to all! No registration is required. Use this link to join
- States are encouraged to continue submitting monthly reports; qualitative data alone is helpful even without quantitative measures.
- Our next Bullying Prevention Topic Call will be held on Tuesday, September 8th, at 4pm ET.