The Citywide Youth Bullying Prevention Program – created in June 2013 – aims to reduce incidents of bullying across the District by emphasizing prevention and proper procedures for responding when incidents occur. The program works with youth-serving government agencies, District schools and youth-serving government grantees to ensure bullying prevention policies are adopted and implemented in ways consistent with the best practices adopted by the Youth Bullying Prevention Task Force. The best practices are demonstrated in the Task Force’s District-wide Model Bullying Prevention Policy, released in January of 2013.
The philosophy of the model policy and program discourages an overreliance on discipline and instead adopts a public health approach focused on prevention, supporting at-risk youth and addressing incidents to change behavior. Program staff coordinates high-level trainings, advises stakeholders as they develop curriculum, and evaluates existing initiatives aimed at bullying prevention. The groundbreaking District-wide approach – moving beyond just in-school prevention – makes it one of the most unique and far-reaching government bullying prevention programs in the nation.
Biennial Compliance Reports
The Youth Bullying Prevention Act of 2012 (YBPA; DC Code § 2-1535.03) and its implementing regulations require schools and other youth-serving organizations (including, but not limited to, government agencies, libraries, nonprofits, and community centers) to adopt comprehensive antibullying policies, implement thorough reporting and investigation procedures, provide training for staff, and maintain and report incident data. The law further requires the Mayor to report to Council the current implementation of the Act and to provide a summary of the status of bullying in the District of Columbia (DC) on a biennial basis. The most recent biennial report can be viewed below and previous reports can be found here.
Quarterly Newsletters
The Youth Bullying Prevention Program issues quarterly highlights to designated points of contact within district schools. The newsletters provide the latest tips, tools, and resources to aide in creating a productive and safe school environment. The 2023 newsletters can be viewed below and previous years' can be found here.
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September 2023 - Proactive Bullying Prevention Techniques
Bullying Prevention Training Information and Materials
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Bullying Prevention & Intervention in DC Educational Institutions Training Toolkit - The toolkit provides everything a school, agency or other institutions needs to conduct an effective bullying prevention and intervention training.
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District-wide Model Youth Bullying Prevention Policy - The model policy is a research-based guide to how write an effective bullying prevention policy for your school, government agency or organization.
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Know Your Policy Web Portal - The web portal provides parents and guardians with access to critical bullying prevention information for educational institutions and youth-serving government agencies
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Setting the Foundation for Safe, Supportive and Equitable School Climates - A toolkit based on four years data collection at participating public schools and public charter schools provides strategies to identify needs through data, build buy-in, and engage the full school community in decision making to ultimately improve school climate.
Tipsheets and Resources
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Bullying and Mental Health - This tipsheet describes the relationship between bullying and mental health and provides resources throughout the District to help support students who have been bullied and students who have bullied others.
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Cyberbullying - This tipsheet outlines the YBPA’s requirements around cyberbullying and identifies key social media trends educators should be aware of.
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Reporting Bullying in the District of Columbia - How to report and file
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Final Rulemaking - The final rulemaking for the Youth Bullying Prevention Act of 2012.
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Teacher Tipsheet - Quick tips on how teachers can prevent and respond to bullying behavior.
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Tips for Parents Brochure - This brochure provides tips for parents who suspect their children may be experiencing bullying.
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What You Need to Know About Bullying - The fact sheet helps individuals identify and understand bullying.
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Youth Bullying Prevention Poster - Youth Bullying Has No Place in the District! Display this message in your school with our newly created anti-bullying poster. Download and print this free 18” x 24” poster and provide your school or agency community with information regarding their designated Bullying Point of Contact and OHR’s Youth Bullying Prevention Program.
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Youth Bullying Prevention Act Data - Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Information
If you'd like to request a training or presentation, if you're a parent that needs support, or you have any questions about the Citywide Youth Bullying Prevention Program program, contact us at [email protected].