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Addiction recovery 
top
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, produces A Guide for Caring Adults Working with Young People Experiencing Addiction in the Family. They also link to a Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator.
NIDA Goes Back to School is your source of free information about the latest drug abuse publications and teaching materials from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. You’ll find specific curricula and other teaching aids on this site.
The Mind Over Matter: Teacher's Guide is a guide to the Mind Over Matter series, which is designed to encourage young people in grades five through nine to learn about the effects of drug abuse on the body and the brain.
For a list of materials for teachers about teaching kids about drug abuse and addiction go to NIDA’s parents and teachers page.
The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology Through the Study of Addiction is a free curriculum for teachers of students in grades 9-12. It provides current, research-based information on various aspects of drug abuse and addiction, including neurobiology, behavioral components, and treatment.
Alateen is part of Al-Anon, an organization for friends and family of alcoholics. At Alateen meetings teens can share their experiences, discuss their difficulties, learn coping skills and encourage one another.
The Drug Strategies site is a companion to the Drug Strategies publication Treating Teens: A Guide to Adolescent Drug Programs. It provides information on treating teens for substance abuse, a list of substance abuse programs especially for teens in each state, and a description of each program.
AIDS prevention top
The Guidelines for Effective School Health Education to Prevent the Spread of AIDS are presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidelines were developed to help school personnel and others plan, implement, and evaluate educational efforts to prevent HIV infection among elementary school, middle school, and high school youth.
The Act Smart program for youth from the American Red Cross is a curriculum for ages 6-17 about making smart decisions to prevent transmission of HIV. In includes games, skits, projects, discussion topics and activity sheets.
Advocates for Youth helps young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Their HIV/STI Prevention and Treatment among Youth in the U.S. page contains publications, lesson plans, statistics, pamphlets, and facts about HIV prevention among adolescents. They also produce a publication called 
Science and Success: Sex Education and Other Programs That Work to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections (PDF - 694KB).
The Utah Education Network developed these lesson plans for teaching grades 3-6 about disease prevention and HIV/AIDS education.
Alcohol use statistics top
This Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site provides statistics on alcohol and drug use among teens and links to other resources offering data and publications.
The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking, from the U.S. Surgeon General's Office, appeals to Americans to do more to stop America's 11 million current underage drinkers from using alcohol, and to keep other young people from starting. It lays out recommendations for government and school officials, parents, other adults and the young people, calling them to take action to address the problem of underage drinking.
Understanding Alcohol: Investigations into Biology and Behavior is a program of the National Institutes of Health for grades 7-8 that teaches students about the science underlying the effects of alcohol on human biology and behavior.
The Marin Institute fights to protect the public from the impact of the alcohol industry’s negative practices. They compiled a page of Alcohol and Youth Facts with statistics from studies conducted as recent as 2005.
MADD has a page on their web site specifically for educators that links to resources like THINK, a web page with classroom kits, videos, and pledges.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center has compiled an informative Fact Sheet on Substance Use: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 315KB). It highlights statistics about adolescent substance abuse, cigarette smoking, binge drinking, and illicit drug use including marijuana and ecstasy, and other eye-opening facts about today’s youth.
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy’s fact sheet, Sobering Facts on Alcohol and Teen Pregnancy (PDF - 35KB) , discusses how alcohol consumption can lead to teen pregnancy.
Statistics on teen drinking can be found on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) web site. Here you can find links to detailed information about teen fatalities due to drunk driving.
Alcohol use web sites for teens top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers information that you can print and distribute on alcohol, drugs, and smoking. This alcohol section includes a diagram showing how alcohol affects the body, a drug glossary, and a quiz on the contents of a cigarette.
Abovetheinfluence.com – Above the Influence is an interactive drug prevention site for youth. It features some popular anti-drug commercials that you might have seen on TV!
The Cool Spot web site was created for kids 11 to13 years old by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The NIAAA is the lead U.S. agency supporting research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of alcohol problems. Your students can find facts on alcohol and peer pressure on this site.
Check Yourself – Check Yourself is a unique web site that has quizzes about different drugs, stories from real teens, message boards, videos, and other fun interactive features. You can even play decision games to see how you might act in a situation involving drugs and alcohol. What choices will you make?
American School Health Association top
The American School Health Association unites the many professionals working in schools who are committed to safeguarding the health of school-aged children. The Association, a multidisciplinary organization of administrators, counselors, dentists, health educators, physical educators, school nurses, and school physicians, advocates high-quality school health instruction, health services, and a healthful school environment.
Asthma top
Asthma is a major public health problem of increasing concern in the United States. On average, in a classroom of 30 children, about three are likely to have asthma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer facts on asthma and information on school health policies and programs on this web page.
Managing Asthma: A Guide for Schools (PDF - 1MB) , from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, allows you can put a simple-to-follow asthma-friendly program in place in your school. It includes easily reproducible information sheets on how peak flow meters and metered-dose inhalers work, a fill-in asthma action plan template students with asthma to keep on file, an information sheet on the early signs of an asthma attack, and more.
The Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sponsors a program called Managing Asthma in the School Environment, which provides free publications for educators.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s National Asthma Education and Prevention Program contains guidelines for schools and other publications about asthma control in school, including Asthma and Physical Activity in the School (PDF - 210KB).
The American Lung Association Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative is a toolkit for schools to make sure that students with asthma are healthy, in school, and ready to learn.
The American Lung Association’s Open Airways for School is an asthma management program for school children aged 8-11 who have been diagnosed with asthma.
A School Asthma Action Plan is a form that parents can fill out in order to help teachers stay informed and know what actions to take to manage the student’s asthma at school.
At-risk adolescents top
Helping America’s Youth is a nationwide effort to benefit children and teenagers by encouraging action in three key areas: family, school, and community. The Community Guide to Helping America's Youth helps communities build partnerships, assess their needs and resources, and select from program designs that could be replicated in their community. It walks community groups through the steps necessary for building strong supports for youth.
Reconnecting Youth trains adults to implement prevention programs for at risk youth.
The YouthARTS web site explains how to plan, run, provide, training, and evaluate, arts programs for at-risk youth.
Bike safety top
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Bicycle Safety Program uses education, outreach, enforcement, and legislation to reduce bicycle injuries and fatalities.
The Good Practices Guide: For Bicycle Safety Education (PDF - 441KB) is a publication issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a resource for community leaders, educators, and parents. It provides a summary of conclusions to consider when planning a bicycle safety education course for different audiences.
The National Center for Safe Routes to School produces a guide with information about starting your own safe routes to school program, including guidelines for adult school crossing guards and tools to create school route maps.
The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center web site addresses bicycle safety and can be used as a resource by educators who want to obtain statistics on bicycle-related issues and bike-education.
Bone health top
Jump Kids Jump!, from the Indiana State Department of Health, is a structured jump rope and nutrition program designed to create awareness of bone health, physical activity, and the importance of calcium intake. Research has shown that jumping or high-impact exercise is very effective for increasing bone mineral density in the hip, especially during puberty. Physical activity is not only important for strong bones, but it also builds muscle and helps prevent obesity and certain diseases. The featured tool kit includes research documentation, program description, fact sheet, PowerPoint calcium presentation, bone demonstration, pre/post test and answer key, jump rope rhymes, instructional manual, and DVD.
The Milk Matters Calcium Education Campaign is dedicated to increasing calcium consumption among America's children and teens. The campaign, sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, focuses on educating people about the importance of calcium for building strong and healthy bones.
Making good choices for healthy bones should start in childhood and become habits that last. Powerful Bones. Powerful Girls.™ is a national education effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help girls build strong bones. This web site is something all of your female students should check out! The campaign also has a bone health site for parents, offering information to help their daughters build strong bones during the critical window of bone growth—ages 9 to 12.
Bullying top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers an extensive list of resources on bullying prevention and management for educators and school administrators. Printable information for students is available on girlshealth.gov. This special section on bullying includes quizzes for students to find out if they have ever been bullied or if they bully others themselves, as well as helpful tips for handling bullying.
Career planning top
If you have students looking for helpful tips on planning for the future, you can print and distribute information from this special section of the girlshealth.gov web site. The section includes information on different career options and how to plan ahead.
Students.gov is a cooperative effort between Federal agencies, students, and members of the higher education community, under the leadership of the U.S. Department of Education. The site provides teens with information about career development and education planning.
Career Voyages provides detailed career information with a focus on high-growth industries and high-demand occupations, including the skills, training, and education needed. This site is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education.
The Career One Stop web site is a Federal and non-profit online collaboration providing detailed information on training and education about planning to meet career goals.
Career Launch, from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, helps students explore what career is right for them, search for colleges, and more.
The Internet Public Library’s Career Paths from the University of Michigan provides links to resources for students on choosing careers and planning ahead.
Expanding Your Horizons conferences are designed to nurture girls' interest in science and math courses and to encourage them to consider science and math-based career options such as engineering, computer science and physical science.
The Mapping the Future web site can help your middle and high school students learn about the steps they need to take each year to plan their futures.
MyFuture.com, from the U.S. Department of Defense, has information and resources about choosing a career, job-hunting, finances, and careers in the military.
Character education top
The Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character at the Boston University School of Education offers resources for educators about character education.
Character Counts provides free teaching tools for teachers about character traits.
The Character Education Network provides ready-to-use curriculum, activities, and resources to integrate into your classroom about character education.
The Character Education Partnership is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to developing moral character and civic virtue in our nation's youth as one means of creating a more compassionate and responsible society. The organization’s web site offers interactive tools for educators and others who work with youth on character building.
Diabetes top
Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel (PDF - 1.42MB) is an online guide from the National Diabetes Education Program. This guide was developed to educate and inform school personnel about diabetes, how it is managed, and how school staff members can help meet the needs of students with the disease.
The American Diabetes Association web site has a special page for diabetic teens that provides information on the effects of diabetes on growing up, driving, dating, sex, and alcohol and drug use.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation produces the Diabetes Emergency Checklists for those who care for children with diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association has information for schools so teachers and other personnel can understand diabetes and provide a safe environment for diabetic students, including Tips for Teachers of Students with Disabilities.
Dietary guidelines top
The Center for Disease Control’s publication publication Making It Happen – School Nutrition Success Stories illustrates a wide variety of approaches that schools have taken to improve student nutrition.
MyPyramid.gov is the interactive web site from the United States Department of Agriculture that provides information on the food guide pyramid and dietary guidelines. It includes educational materials that can be used as handouts and a nutrition section especially for kids with games, worksheets, and other classroom materials.
The School Nutrition Association works to ensure all children have access to healthful school meals by providing training and resources for educators, parents, and community members.
Disabilities and physical activity top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers extensive information about staying active for teen girls living with disabilities and illnesses. This web content on staying active can be printed and distributed to your students and patients.
The Office on Disability of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a national initiative supporting physical activity for youth with disabilities, called I Can Do It – You Can Do It. Visit this site for more information about the initiative.
For research and information about physical activity for people with disabilities check out the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability.
Disability education resources top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers extensive information for teen girls living with disabilities and illnesses. The information can be printed and distributed to your students and patients. The content covers becoming independent, IEPs and succeeding at school, planning for the future, disability laws, and relationships.
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education offers information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
This section of Kids’ Quest on Disability and Health from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides parents and teachers background on the tools or “Quests” designed to teach students about people with disabilities and the issues related to daily activities, health, and accessibility.
LDOnline contains information and resources on learning disabilities and individualized education. It provides a learning disabilities section specifically for teachers that lists helpful articles on inclusion issues, interacting with parents and students, special education, and teaching strategies.
The National Organization on Disability believes that with enforced legislation, accessible classrooms, the respect of educators, and advances in assistive technology, students with disabilities can close the education gap. The organization’s web site offers educators resources on a wide variety of education issues.
Disaster preparedness top
The U.S. Department of Education provides crisis planning resources for educators and school administrators. This web site also provides information educators need to plan for any emergency, including natural disasters, violent incidents, and terrorist acts.
This section of FEMA’s web site offers resources to parents and teachers on how to prepare for disaster at home and at school. Fire-safety fact sheets and terrorism related resources are provided, as well as curriculum planning tools and activities to use for disaster planning in the classroom.
The article Tips for Talking to Children after a Disaster: a Guide for Parents and Teachers is from the National Mental Health Information Center.
National School Safety and Security Services offers consultations in school security and emergency/crisis preparedness training nationally.
The School Crisis Help Guide from the National Education Association Health Information Network has advice for schools and districts about preparing for and handling a school crisis.
Drug use information and tools top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers information that you can print and distribute on alcohol, drugs, and smoking. This special section includes a diagram showing how alcohol affects the body, a drug glossary, and a quiz on the contents of a cigarette.
NIDA for Teens has a page specifically for parents and teachers with resources and frequently asked questions about drug use among adolescents and prevention.
NIDA Goes Back to School is your source of free information about the latest drug abuse publications and teaching materials from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. You’ll find specific curricula and other teaching aids on this site.
The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign from the Office of National Drug Control Policy targets youth ages 9-18, their parents, and other adults who influence the choices young people make. This site contains free information and tips on how to keep kids drug-free. It also includes the message maker – an interactive tool that lets adult mentors and youth leaders create anti-drug stickers and other materials.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse publication Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders (PDF - 707KB) describes drug prevention strategies that work.
The Tobacco Information and Preventions Source (TIPS) section of the Centers for Disease Control offers educational materials for educators, health professionals, parents, and youth.
The Youth Tobacco Prevention section of the Centers for Disease Control offers educational materials for educators, health professionals, parents, and youth.
D.A.R.E., or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.
Drug-free school programs top
The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) administers, coordinates, and recommends policy for improving quality and excellence of programs and activities. OSDFS Programs provide financial assistance for activities that promote the health and well being of students, in addition to drug and violence prevention activities in elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education.
Drug use statistics top
The High School and Youth Trends publication from the National Institute on Drug Abuse examines drug use among high school students. It provides an overview of all drugs, and also looks at trends for use of specific drugs.
The Alcohol and Drug use section of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site provides statistics on alcohol and drug use among teens and links to other resources offering data and publications.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center has compiled an informative Fact Sheet on Substance Use: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 315KB). It highlights statistics about adolescent substance abuse, cigarette smoking, binge drinking, and illicit drug use including marijuana and ecstasy, and other eye-opening facts about today’s youth.
Drug use web sites for teens top
Freevibe.com is a web site sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy offering information about the dangers of drugs in a manner appealing to teens. This site provides drug facts, steps for helping a friend with a drug problem, personal stories from other teens, and tips for understanding media messages. Don’t miss the page specifically about Girls and Drugs.
NIDA for Teens, from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is designed to help teens learn about the dangers of drugs and drug abuse so they can make healthy choices. It provides facts on different drugs, information on how drugs affect the brain, and real stories from teens who have struggled with drug abuse.
The KidsHealth web site has a page for teens about Dealing with Addiction, which includes information on the physical and psychological affects of addiction as well as the path to recovery.
Eating disorders top
The BodyWise Handbook contains fact sheets designed for teachers, nurses, coaches, and other educators, as well as resource lists. The fact sheets include suggestions for integrating eating disorders prevention into existing curricula and for initiating school-wide activities to promote prevention of unhealthy eating and preoccupation with body weight.
The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders provides free materials from their School Guidelines, which offers teachers and other school personnel the tools to identify and help students who may have an eating disorder.
Go Girls! is a high school eating disorder prevention program from the National Eating Disorders Association.
Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) top
The Education Resources Information Center, sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education, maintains a vast database of journal and non-journal education literature.
Emotional health top
The girlshealth.gov web site has a special section on emotional health covering issues such as stress, depression, suicide, cutting, body image, and self esteem. This information can be printed and distributed to your students.
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on handling anger. The fact sheet Staying Cool Even When you are Hot Mad (PDF - 211KB) is one in a series that covers topics such as sun safety (PDF - 213KB) and bullying (PDF - 394KB) .
BAM! Body and Mind™ is an online destination for kids created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Designed for kids 9-13 years old, the campaign gives them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The site also offers students interactive content to investigate health and science topics for school or for a personal interest. This "Teacher's Corner" web page is a resource for incorporating CDC health, safety, and science topics into classroom activities.
Do you have a kid in class who is poorly behaved and seemingly just trying to get attention? It is possible that serious emotional problems are the root of the problem. The article The Myth of the Bad Kid is from the National Mental Health Information Center.
One Teen at a Time! from the National Association of Social Workers, is an educational campaign that includes resources and tools to assist professionals, parents, and teens in achieving healthy and positive outcomes. The campaign focuses on building the social and emotional skills of adolescents need, as well as offering information about diversity and tolerance.
Fact sheets from girlshealth.gov top
girlshealth.gov has developed several fact sheets on various health topics for girls, created as PDF files. Please feel free to download, copy, and distribute as you wish.
Flu top
Seasonal Flu Information for Schools & Childcare Providers provides educators, staff, and parents with materials and links on how to help slow the spread of colds and flu. This resource is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pandemicflu.gov has a page specifically for schools with checklists that can assist local educational agencies in developing and/or improving plans to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic.
Food safety top
To prevent food borne illness, food safety in schools needs to be ensured. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information about school health programs, guidelines, and national, state, and local programs.
National Food Safety Education Month is September, and this page contains tools for educating others about food safety, including fact sheets, games and activities.
Bring food science into your classroom by ordering free supplementary tools, provided by the FDA, such as a sample food science curriculum and useful teaching tools that help explain the importance of food safety to your students.
Food Safety for Teachers contains lesson plans, an action guide, and other resources for teachers.
Fight Bac! is an initiative promoted by the Partnership for Food Safety Education that has a special section for educators to teach the messages of safe food handling.
Gangs top
Gangs and Youth: A Guide for Social Workers (PDF - 287KB) is a part of a web-based educational campaign by the National Association of Social Workers that offers resources and tools to assist professionals, parents, and teens in achieving healthy and positive outcomes. The campaign focuses on building the social and emotional skills adolescents need, as well as offering information about diversity and tolerance.
Learn about gang trends in schools and how to spot gang versus non-gang related activity at the Gangs and School Safety web page sponsored by the National School Safety and Security Services.
The Gang Alternatives Program offers a school gang prevention curriculum that can be implemented to help promote gang prevention in your community. In addition, resources are provided on how to promote positive lifestyle choices among students and integrate this curriculum with your school's state-mandated School Safety Plan.
Girls’ health top
The girlshealth.gov web site was created to help girls ages 10 through 16 learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. The site focuses on health topics that girls are concerned about and helps motivate them to choose healthy behaviors by using positive, supportive, and non-threatening messages. The site gives girls reliable, useful information on the health issues they will face as they become young women and tips on handling relationships with family and friends, at school and at home. All of the sections of the site can be printed and distributed.
Parents and educators can use the Center for Young Women’s Health web site to find relevant teen health information that they can share with their family. This web site also provides interactive resources for teens and links to other web sites for additional health information.
Health education programs that work top
Coordinated School Health Programs is a project that is dedicated to providing information to educators, community leaders, and family members about how to make a school health program work in their community.
The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), a service of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Model Programs Guide is designed to assist practitioners and communities in implementing evidence-based prevention and intervention programs that can make a difference in the lives of children and communities.
ChildTrends.org provides a summary of teen education programs that have been successful in their objectives. Some of the research is focused on health education programs for which they provide an analysis of the programs that have worked in the past and, therefore, will be likely to work in the future if mirrored.
Health news top
Read health-related news articles from Reuters Health Information and HealthDay, plus the most recent press announcements from major medical organizations at MedlinePlus.gov.
Click here for current news on health, compiled by Healthfinder.gov.
The National Education Association’s Health Information Network offers current health news for educators.
Health risk behaviors top
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on handling pressure to have sex too soon. The fact sheet Dealing With Pressure to Have Sex (PDF - 224KB) is one in a series that covers topics such as sun safety (PDF - 213KB) and bullying (PDF - 394KB).
The Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seeks to prevent the most serious health risk behaviors among children, adolescents, and young adults. The DASH web site Healthy Schools! Healthy Youth! serves as a guide for both health and education professionals.
This web page contains state by state information about adolescent risky behaviors.
Individualized education programs top
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education offers information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act on its site.
The U.S. Department of Education web page "My Child's Special Needs" assists educators, parents, and state and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act regarding Individualized Education Programs for children with disabilities.
The Toolkit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities from the U.S. Department of Education has information about model programs, research, technical assistance, behavior, accommodations, and more.
Internet safety top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers information for girls on safety issues ranging from Internet safety to relationship safety. This section, which includes interactive quizzes, can be printed and distributed.
NetSmartz, sponsored by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, is designed to show educators and administrators how to use interactive materials in their classrooms, accumulate more information about Internet safety and technology, and take steps to bring their classrooms into the 21st century.
The National Cyber Security Alliance web site Stay Safe Online is dedicated to helping K-12 educators, administrators, professionals, executives, and IT administrators develop programs that help empower students, faculty, and school administrators to take personal responsibility for keeping personal and public computers secure.
It is important for both parents and educators to know about on-line safety since a lot of school-related work is done on the Internet. WiredSafety.org provides resources for teachers to ensure that they are aware of Internet safety and help students make the most of their on-line experience.
Intimate partner violence top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers information for girls on how to have healthy relationships. This special section includes a quiz on healthy relationships, and all of the content can be printed and distributed.
The IPV web page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers statistics on issues related to intimate partner violence, including risk factors and health effects.
The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence offers an easily accessible and comprehensive resource center for current and historic information about children and violence. This center provides training, technical assistance, and consultation to a variety of collaborative community programs throughout the country that respond to children and families exposed to violence, including the Child Development-Community Policing Program (CD-CP), the School Crisis Response Initiative, and the Safe Start Initiative.
The Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (Copyright © NCVC) (PDF - 76KB) describes what dating violence is, the incidence of teen dating violence, its victims, dating violence and the law, and who can help.
The Family Violence Prevention Fund web page on teens and partner violence contains information for teens, parents, and educators about how to combat dating violence.
The National Youth and Violence Prevention Center provides information on the vital role that educators’ play in keeping kids safe. It includes information on how educators can pay attention to the warning signs that students are involved in violence. In addition, programs for prevention and educational resources are also provided.
Learning disabilities top
LDOnline contains information and resources on learning disabilities and individualized education. It provides a learning disabilities section specifically for teachers that lists helpful articles on inclusion issues, interacting with parents and students, special education, and teaching strategies.
LD Worldwide for educators is designed for educators who support individuals with learning disabilities of all ages. Here you will find information, suggested resources, and ideas for all levels, including infant/toddler, preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, and post-graduate.
The educators section of the National Center for Learning Disabilities web site provides educators with tools and resources to develop effective teaching practices and personalized education methods.
Medicine safety top
The FDA provides an interactive educational program on-line, Medicines in My Home, which helps students learn about over-the-counter medicines and what can be found in their medicine cabinet. It provides a course description and teacher’s kit for educators to explain the risks of not taking medicines properly and why certain medications are prescribed and used.
Meningitis top
The flu may be getting much media attention, but meningitis is also cause for concern. The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools has posted a summary of key facts about meningitis. In addition to information on disease types, prevention, and treatment, the document contains links to several state guidelines for school policies.
STOP Meningitis, a program from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, is a public education initiative with resources for implementing meningococcal immunization recommendations for, adolescents and college-bound students.
Getting It: A Disease…A Vaccine is a program from the National Meningitis Association for educators. It contains a video and an educator’s guide (PDF - 278KB) free for download. The National Meningitis Association also has Parent Teacher Awareness Programs for PTAs with tools to raise awareness in your community.
Mental health guidelines top
The Health, Mental Health and Safety Guidelines for Schools were developed by more than 300 health, education, and safety professionals from more than 30 different national organizations. The guidelines are interactive, allowing users to search for specific recommendations on topics ranging from transportation safety to suicide prevention.
Nutrition top
Your students and patients can find helpful nutrition information on the girlshealth.gov web site. The nutrition section of the site, which includes explanations of serving sizes and Federal dietary recommendations, can be printed and distributed.
The Fruit and Veggies: More Matters web page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers fun facts about a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. It also provides information on how to prepare fruits and vegetables and great tasting recipe ideas to help you meet the 5-a-day goal.
Kids must learn about proper nutrition starting at school since the majority of their day is spent there. The Changing the Scene: Improving the School Nutrition Environment program is a USDA-sponsored initiative to make school nutrition better. The kit you can order provides a guide to local action, support materials, and additional resources for your program to run successfully.
The Center for Disease Control’s publication Making It Happen – School Nutrition Success Stories illustrates a wide variety of approaches that schools have taken to improve student nutrition.
MyPyramid.gov is the interactive web site from the United States Department of Agriculture that provides information on the food guide pyramid and dietary guidelines. It includes educational materials that can be used as handouts and a nutrition section for kids with games, worksheets, and other classroom materials.
Physical inactivity and poor diet account for an estimated 400,000 deaths per year, second only to tobacco use among preventable causes of death. The Healthy Youth section from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides statistics on healthy eating, school health programs, guidelines, and national, state, and local programs.
The School Nutrition Association works to ensure all children have access to healthful school meals by providing training and resources for educators, parents, and community members.
Obesity prevention top
girlshealth.gov has a special section on fitness that has useful publications for educators to use in preparing material to share with students.
Schools can provide a consistent environment that is conducive to healthy eating and regular physical activity. Schools Can Play a Role in Preventing Childhood Obesity (PDF - 131KB) from the National Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences offers tips on how schools can meet this goal.
Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity is a web site from the CDC with resources for schools to help students and staff adopt healthy eating and physical activity behaviors that are the keys to preventing obesity.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) top
The Center for Young Women’s Health (CYWH) is an extensive web site which offers information on a wide variety of health topics of concern to young women. The information on PCOS includes a great discussion of the role of diet and nutrition in PCOS. In addition, the CYWH offers on-line chats, moderated by health professionals, for young women with PCOS.
The Kidshealth web site offers information about many health-concerns for children and teens. The PCOS information is written for adolescents and explains the condition, tests, and treatments in easy-to-understand language.
The Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association is a nonprofit organization run by women with PCOS. The web site offers general information about PCOS and details some of the organization’s activities, including several that are specifically for teens. The organization offers PCOTeen, with message boards, chat rooms, and a mailing list specifically for adolescents. The Big Cyster program is a pen pal program that matches adolescents with older women with PCOS. Finally, Project HEART (Helping Educate And Reach Teens) is a program designed to raise PCOS awareness among adolescents.
Physical activity top
The girlshealth.gov web site includes a special section on fitness just for girls. This section, which can be printed and distributed, includes tips for getting started, getting a good workout, and exercising safely.
BAM! Body and Mind™ is an online destination for kids created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Designed for kids 9-13 years old, the campaign gives them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The site also offers students interactive content to investigate health and science topics for school or for a personal interest. The “Teacher’s Corner” web page is a resource for incorporating CDC health, safety, and science topics into classroom activities.
The Physical Activity Resources for Health Professionals section of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides links to information about creating safe and healthy environments to improve levels of physical activity in the community and at school.
Jump Kids Jump!, from the Indiana State Department of Health, is a structured jump rope and nutrition program designed to create awareness of bone health, physical activity, and the importance of calcium intake. Research has shown that jumping or high-impact exercise is very effective for increasing bone mineral density in the hip, especially during puberty. Physical activity is not only important for strong bones, but it also builds muscle and helps prevent obesity and certain diseases.
The featured tool kit includes research documentation, program description, fact sheet, PowerPoint calcium presentation, bone demonstration, pre/post test and answer key, jump rope rhymes, instructional manual, and DVD.
Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity is a web site from the CDC with resources for schools to help students and staff adopt healthy eating and physical activity behaviors that are the keys to preventing obesity.
Physical inactivity and poor diet account for an estimated 400,000 deaths per year, second only to tobacco use among preventable causes of death. The "Healthy Youth" section of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides statistics on youth and physical activity, school health programs, guidelines, and national, state, and local programs.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) Curriculum Supplement Series provides educators with materials and resources to educate students on select subject areas. The Science of Energy Balance: Calorie Intake and Physical Activity curriculum supplement helps students understand the link between science and physical health.
VERB™ It’s what you do. is a national, multicultural, social marketing campaign coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The campaign encourages young people ages 9 to 13 to be physically active every day, and the web site is a fun interactive resource to pass on to students.
Reproductive health top
Your students and patients can find helpful information on general adolescent development, reproductive health care, and menstruation on the girlshealth.gov web site. The site also includes special interactive tools such as a daily guide to the menstrual cycle and a guide to the body's major systems. This information can be printed and distributed.
The Office of Population Affairs collects, develops, and distributes information on family planning, adolescent pregnancy, abstinence, adoption, reproductive health care, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS. Their site provides a list of reproductive health fact sheets and publications that you may reproduce for your students.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center has compiled an informative Fact Sheet on Reproductive Health: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 647KB). It highlights statistics on adolescent pregnancy rates and outcomes, trends in sexual activity and practices, and STD and HIV infection among adolescents of different racial backgrounds.
Safety top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers information for girls on safety issues ranging from Internet safety to relationship safety. This section, which includes interactive quizzes, can be printed and distributed.
The Teen Safe Project web page by the Center for Young Women’s Health at Children’s Hospital in Boston and the Harvard Medical School’s Center of Excellence in Women’s Health posts a facilitator’s guide and four modules for students on healthy and safe relationships, as well as other safety topics.
Safety guidelines top
The Health, Mental Health, and Safety Guidelines for Schools were developed by more than 300 health, education, and safety professionals from more than 30 different national organizations. Parents and other supporters also contributed to the effort. The guidelines are interactive, allowing users to search for specific recommendations on topics ranging from transportation safety to suicide prevention.
School health guidelines top
School Health Guidelines and Strategies, produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, identify the school health program strategies most likely to be effective in promoting healthy behaviors among young people.
School violence top
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on violence prevention. The fact sheet Stopping School Violence: What can you do? (PDF - 29KB) is one in a series that covers topics such as sun safety (PDF - 214KB) and bullying (PDF - 395KB) and others.
Homicide remains the second leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults. This and other statistics about violent crimes are compiled in the National Adolescent Health Information Center’s Fact Sheet on Violence: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 509KB).
The U.S. Department of Justice’s page on preventing youth violence contains resources for parents, educators, and the community for preventing violence among youth.
The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence offers statistics, links to helpful web sites, and references on school violence.
SAVE, or Students Against Violence Everywhere, is an organization that promotes violence awareness among students.
Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a campaign that culminates each year on a Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence. This web site contains books, articles, downloadable materials, and more for teachers to use in their classrooms.
TeachSafeSchools.org provides evidence-based information and techniques to assist the school community in the prevention of school violence
School safety top
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Hazard produced the School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide for high school science and chemistry laboratories. It provides practical safety information in a checklist format useful to both groups to reduce chemical injuries in a laboratory environment.
The National Mental Health Information Center offers links to web sites that provide information about reducing drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and promoting safe schools.
Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools is a publication of the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice.
Get Prepared is a web site from the American Red Cross with advice on how educators can prepare themselves and their students for emergencies.
Service learning top
The National Service Learning Clearinghouse contains a database of articles, publications and service learning opportunities around the nation.
The National Service-Learning Partnership has teaching resources for educators on how to integrate service learning into their lessons.
Students in Service to America, from the National Service Learning Clearinghouse, provides links to civic education and character education resources. The site also includes tips for incorporating service learning into schools.
Sexual assault top
The San Diego Police Department's Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum provides lessons for middle and high school students designed to reduce the incidence of sexual assault through risk-reduction strategies.
Sexual Violence Prevention: Beginning the Dialogue (PDF - 148KB) identifies concepts and strategies that may be used as a foundation for planning, implementing, and evaluating sexual violence prevention activities.
Advocates for Youth has created a fact sheet on Dating Violence Among Adolescents that can be used as a discussion starter or as a supplement to the planned curriculum.
The Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (Copyright © NCVC) (PDF - 767KB) describes what dating violence is, the incidence of teen dating violence, its victims, dating violence and the law, and who can help.
As an educator, you may be confronted by a student that has experienced sexual assault. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network provides a confidential and free number to call if you need assistance, information in fact sheets, and resources for further information on sexual assault.
Sexual health top
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on handling pressure to have sex too soon. The fact sheet Dealing With Pressure to Have Sex (PDF - 225KB) is one in a series that covers topics such as sun safety (PDF - 214KB) and bullying (PDF - 395KB). It can be found in the abstinence section of girlshealth.gov, along with other useful tools.
The Office of Population Affairs collects, develops, and distributes information on family planning, adolescent pregnancy, abstinence, adoption, reproductive health care, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS. Their site provides a list of reproductive health fact sheets and publications that you may reproduce for your students.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center has compiled an informative Fact Sheet on Reproductive Health: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 647KB). It highlights statistics on adolescent pregnancy rates and outcomes, trends in sexual activity and practices, and STD and HIV infection among adolescents of different racial backgrounds.
Advocates for Youth provides lesson plans for educators about body image, contraception, gender roles, and more.
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy’s web site for professionals provides free downloads and materials that can be used to teach students about the risks of early pregnancy and prevention.
Sexually transmitted infections top
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on handling pressure to have sex too soon. The fact sheet Dealing With Pressure to Have Sex (PDF - 225KB) is one in a series and can be found in the abstinence section of girlshealth.gov, along with other useful tools.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides facts, trends, and resources on sexually transmitted infections on this web page.
Smoking and athletics top
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web page highlights the CDC’s Tobacco-Free Sports Initiative. The site provides a smoke-free video, posters, and guides that are available for download to help coaches and school administrators promote the importance of choosing an active and tobacco-free lifestyle.
Smoking prevention top
The girlshealth.gov web site offers information that you can print and distribute on alcohol, drugs, and smoking. This special section includes a page with a diagram showing how alcohol affects the body, a drug glossary, and a quiz on the contents of a cigarette.
Join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and cover model/entrepreneur Christy Turlington in communicating a smoke-free message to teens in your school and community. Here you’ll find a speech by Christy, free posters, an interview with Christy, tobacco facts, 7 deadly myths, and links.
Read the Surgeon General's 2004 report on the health effects of smoking on this site, which offers an interactive tool showing how specific body parts are negatively affected by smoking. The site also covers the many benefits of quitting.
The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions’ Youth Tobacco Prevention offers links to many resources, including: MediaSharp, a video developed to make young people more aware of the power of cigarette advertising; Smoke Screeners, an educational program that helps teach media literacy skills to young people; a fact sheet about youth and tobacco; and many more resources.
Smoking statistics top
For current estimates on youth and tobacco, view this fact sheet from the CDC.
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web page provides statistics on smoking among teens and links to other resources offering data and publications.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center has compiled an informative Fact Sheet on Substance Use: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 315KB). It highlights statistics about adolescent substance abuse, cigarette smoking, binge drinking, and illicit drug use including marijuana and ecstasy, and other eye-opening facts about today’s youth.
Special education resources top
The Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Network web site describes a network of more than 40 information and technical assistance projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education on a broad range of disability and special education issues.
Visit the web site of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for information about special education and the law.
DisabilityInfo.gov is a gateway to the Federal government's disability-related information and resources, offering a directory of government web links relevant to people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers, and other community members. This specific web page within Disability.gov leads you to information and resources on special education.
Sun safety top
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on sun safety. The fact sheet There is no Safe Sun Tan (PDF - 214KB) is one in a series that covers topics such as school violence (PDF - 210KB) and bullying (PDF - 395KB).
The Guidelines for School Programs to Prevent Skin Cancer are presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The brochure, Sun Safety at School, What you Can Do, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gives guidelines for school personnel to promote sun safety among faculty, staff, and students.
Shade Planning for America’s Schools (PDF - 1.8MB) is a manual from the CDC that helps schools maintain a physical environment that supports sun safety by ensuring that school grounds have adequate shade
Teen pregnancy top
girlshealth.gov offers a fact sheet for educators to distribute to their students on handling pressure to have sex too soon. The fact sheet Dealing With Pressure to Have Sex (PDF - 225KB) is one in a series that covers topics such as sun safety (PDF - 214KB) and bullying (PDF - 395KB). It can be found in the abstinence section of girlshealth.gov, along with other useful tools.
The Office of Population Affairs collects, develops, and distributes information on family planning, adolescent pregnancy, abstinence, adoption, reproductive health care, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS. Their site provides a list of reproductive health fact sheets and publications that you may reproduce for your students.
Advocates for Youth provides lesson plans for educators about body image, contraception, gender roles, and more.
This online publication (PDF - 478KB) from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy outlines the importance of educational communities in the prevention of teen pregnancy. The goal of the organization is to reduce the teen pregnancy rate by one-third between 1996 and 2005.
Putting What Works to Work: Curriculum-based programs that Prevent Teen Pregnancy (PDF - 277KB) is a publication from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. It describes what makes a program effective at preventing teen pregnancy and lists 23 effective programs.
Terrorism top
Facing Fear:Helping Young People Deal With Terrorism and Other Tragic Events is a curriculum from the American Red Cross for teachers to help students cope with uncertain times.
The article Responding to Terrorism and War - Information for Educators from the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center is intended to help educators learn how to respond to terrorism. It includes information on common reactions to terrorism, how educators can help their students cope with the aftermath, and how to prevent harassment and hate crimes resulting from terrorism.
The American Psychiatric Association offers parent and teacher tips for talking to children about war and terrorism (PDF - 17KB) in this online fact sheet.
Traumatic stress top
The article Tips for Talking to Children After a Disaster: A Guide for Parents and Teachers is from the National Mental Health Information Center which is run by the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
This section of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) web site is devoted to resources for school personnel. NCTSN works to improve care for traumatized children and their families, and improve planning for crises such as terrorist events and disasters at schools. NCTSN is funded by the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Unintentional injury top
Increasing Teen Safety Belt Use: A Program and Literature Review is a publication from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that examines the effectiveness of programs aimed at increasing the use of safety belts by teenagers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s web site has a special section on Teen Driver Safety with resources for parents, teens, and educators.
Unintentional Injuries, Violence, and the Health of Young People, from the CDC, lists definitions and statistics about unintentional injury.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center’s 2007 Fact Sheet on Unintentional Injury: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 497KB) highlights statistics about unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle accidents, the leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults.
The National Safe Boating Council’s 2007 North American Safe Boating Campaign has a web site with resources for safe boating education.
Youth suicide top
Youth Suicide Prevention Programs: A Resource Guide, from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC, is a guide for persons interested in developing or augmenting suicide prevention programs in their own communities. It describes the rationale and evidence for the effectiveness of various youth suicide prevention strategies and identifies model programs that incorporate these various strategies.
The National Adolescent Health Information Center has compiled a 2006 Fact Sheet on Suicide: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 494KB) that highlights statistics comparing suicide rates among adolescents of different race and sex.
Let's Talk Facts About Teen Suicide (PDF - 75KB), from the American Psychiatric Association, offers statistics and signals of teen suicide for the concerned educator.
The UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools produces a very detailed report called School Interventions to Prevent Youth Suicide (PDF - 682KB). It contains basic facts and statistics about youth suicide, myths, information about prevention techniques, how to assess suicide risk, intervention planning and training, and procedures to follow in the aftermath of suicide.
SOS: Signs of Suicide High School Program is a nationally recognized, easily implemented, cost-effective program of suicide prevention for secondary school students.
The Jason Foundation, Inc. offers a school curriculum called “A Promise for Tomorrow” for grades 7 through 12 about the awareness and prevention of youth suicide.
The Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide provides a framework for schools to assess their existing or proposed suicide prevention efforts (through a series of checklists) and provides resources and information that school administrators can use to enhance or add to their existing program.
Youth violence top
The National Youth Violence Prevention Center, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers special information for educators on bullying, school violence, gangs, and teen suicide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site offers statistics and prevention strategies on youth injury and violence (including suicide) for educators and health professionals.
Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General examines the factors that lead young people to gravitate toward violence, reviews the factors that protect youth from perpetrating violence, and identifies effective research-based preventive strategies.
Homicide remains the second leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults. This and other statistics about violent crimes are compiled in the National Adolescent Health Information Center’s Fact Sheet on Violence: Adolescents & Young Adults (PDF - 509KB).
Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a campaign that culminates each year on a Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence. This web site contains books, articles, downloadable materials, and more for teachers to use in their classrooms.
The Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (Copyright © NCVC) (PDF - 76KB) describes what dating violence is, the incidence of teen dating violence, its victims, dating violence and the law, and who can help.
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Content last updated January 26, 2009
