Congress recently eliminated several programs administered by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.  Notwithstanding these budget cuts, the programs that remain are critical to our efforts to establish safe, supportive, and healthy schools so that children can learn and reach their full potential.  Moreover, the Department is committed to developing and deepening program and policy expertise in the program offices, especially in high-priority areas.  Therefore, to maximize limited resources, while preserving our program focus, the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools and it's programs were moved into a new Office of Safe and Healthy Students within the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE).  This change was effective on September 26, 2011, and will provide new opportunities for staff from OESE and OSDFS to work together to improve school environments and support children’s learning, health, and well-being. Within the next few weeks, the contents of the new OSHS (formerly OSDFS) webpages was relocated to OESE's homepage and is available at www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oshs/index.html.

The mission of OSDFS is creating safe schools, responding to crises, drug abuse and violence prevention, ensuring the health and well being of students and promoting development of good character and citizenship. Below is a listing of programs administered by OSDFS, and a link to the SDFSC Advisory Committee.

Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, and Physical Education
Drug-Violence Prevention - State Programs
Drug-Violence Prevention - National Programs
Character and Civic Education
Policy and Cross-Cutting Programs

Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, and Physical Education programs

The Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, and Physical Education (HMHEHPE) group administers programs that promote the health and well being of students and families as outlined in Title V, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 authorized by the America's Schools Act of 1994. These Health Programs provide financial assistance for activities that promote the health and well being of students in elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education. Activities may be carried out by state and local educational agencies and by other public and private nonprofit organizations. Specifically, the group has lead responsibility for the following programs:

• Carol M. White Physical Education Program (Discretionary Grants)
• Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Discretionary Grants (Discretionary Grants)
• Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems (Discretionary Grants)
• Foundations for Learning Grants Program (Discretionary Grants)

Drug-Violence Prevention - State Programs

The Drug-Violence Prevention (DVP) State Programs group administers State and local educational formula programs authorized under Title IV, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Programs authorized under this legislation provide financial assistance for state and local drug and violence prevention activities in elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education. Activities may be carried out by state and local educational agencies and by other public and private nonprofit organizations. Specifically, the group has lead responsibility for the Safe and Drug-Free Schools State Programs:

• Safe and Supportive Schools (Discretionary Grants)
• Governors' Grants (Formula Grants)
• Grants to States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs (Discretionary Grants)
• Safe and Drug-Free Schools Native Hawaiian Program (Discretionary Grants)
• State Formula Grants for SEAs (Formula Grants)

Drug-Violence Prevention - National Programs

The Drug-Violence Prevention (DVP) National Programs group administers discretionary grants and other programs related to developing and maintaining safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools. Programs authorized under Title IV, SDFSCA of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 provide financial assistance for drug and violence prevention activities in elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education. Activities may be carried out by state and local educational agencies and by other public and private nonprofit organizations. Specifically, the group has lead responsibility for the Safe and Drug-Free Schools National Programs:

• Models of Exemplary, Effective, and Promising Alcohol or Other Drug Prevention Programs on College Campuses (Discretionary Grants)
• School-Based Student Drug-Testing Programs (Discretionary Grants)
• Discretionary Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse (Discretionary Grants)
• Grant Competition to Prevent High-Risk Drinking and Violent Behavior Among College Students (Discretionary Grants)
• Grants for Coalitions to Prevent and Reduce Alcohol Abuse at Institutions of Higher Education
• Mentoring Grants (Discretionary Grants)
• The Challenge Newsletter Grant Competition (Discretionary Grant)

Character and Civic Education

The Character and Civic Education (CCE) group administers programs in character and civics education, including providing financial assistance for character and citizenship education activities in elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education, and reporting on issues and programs, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to state agencies and state and local correctional institutions. These activities may be carried out by state and local educational agencies and by other public and private nonprofit organizations. Specifically, the group has lead responsibility for the following programs:

• Partnerships in Character Education Program (Discretionary Grants)
• Civic Education
• Civic Education - Improve Public Knowledge of and Support for Democracy
• We The People
• Cooperative Civic Education and Economic Education Exchange Program (Discretionary Grants)

Policy and Cross-Cutting Programs

This group administers certain discretionary grant initiatives authorized by Title IV, SDFSCA National Programs, including programs that emphasize coordinated, collaborative responses to developing and maintaining safe, disciplined, and drug-free learning environments. Programs authorized provide financial assistance for drug and violence prevention to local educational agencies and their partners. Activities may be carried out by local educational agencies in partnership with local law enforcement officials, local mental health service providers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians and other first responders.

Specifically, the group has lead responsibility for the following programs:

• Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (Discretionary Grants)
• School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) (Discretionary Grants)
• Emergency Management for Higher Education
• Safe Schools/Healthy Students Discretionary Grants (Discretionary Grants)

Staff also implement several other provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. These provisions are consistent with the office's mission to support the creation of safe, disciplined, drug-free and healthy learning environments for students, and include:

• Gun-Free Schools Act (Title IV, Part A, Subpart 3, Section 4141)
• Transfer of Disciplinary Records (Title IV, Part A, Subpart 4, Section 4155)
• Pro-Children Act (Title IV, Part C)
• Unsafe School Choice Option (Title IX, Part E, Section 9532)

OSDFS programs can also be found in a list with descriptions.