New Jersey is one of the 32 states that have adopted a state law on bullying prevention in recent years. NJ’s anti-bullying law states that harassment and bullying will not be tolerated on school property, at school-sponsored events, or on school buses. Consequently, each school district is mandated to construct individual policy statements prohibiting bullying and harassment in their schools, define bullying and its implications, and create a shared concept of appropriate school-wide behavior standards. The law went into effect in 2002 and NJ has consistently looked to HRSA’s Stop Bullying Now! website as a resource since the Campaign’s launch in 2004.

The Stop Bullying Now! Campaign has worked closely with the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) on creating bullying prevention programs in counties across the state in collaboration with the “NJ Cares About Bullying” and the “Community Partnership for Healthy Adolescents” initiatives. As NJ continues to make strides in anti-bullying education, counties such as Essex, Monmouth, Bergen, Sussex, and Burlington have created innovative new programs and have utilized the tools and resources of the Stop Bullying Now! Campaign in their efforts.

Elementary, middle, and high schools in NJ have used Stop Bullying Now! resources to encourage students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrative school staff to get more involved through training sessions, student forums, summits, presentations, and classroom instruction. For example, the Bergen County Special Services developed a program that sends middle and high school students who demonstrate at-risk bullying behaviors to a five-day out-of-school program. The program provides conflict resolution strategies, art therapy, academic tutoring, and counseling sessions. This initiative more than doubled in size in just 2 years -- from four schools and 100 students in 2003 to 20 schools and 308 students by 2005. NJ continues to expand its bullying prevention agenda.