UNH Receives Federal Grant to Continue Violence Prevention Work

Monday, December 12, 2016

DURHAM, N.H. – Researchers at the University of New Hampshire received a four-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue their work helping schools and communities implement and evaluate programs to help reduce violence. This $1.8 million grant will focus on Rapid City, South Dakota, middle and high schools in a partnership with the South Dakota Network Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence and the Rapid City based Working Against Violence, Inc.

“This grant will allow us to take the lessons we have learned from our work with local schools and communities and expand our collaboration with those on the front lines nationally and internationally,” said Katie Edwards, assistant professor psychology and faculty affiliate of Prevention Innovations Research Center, who will lead the project in South Dakota with Victoria Banyard, professor psychology and a research and evaluation consultant with Prevention Innovations. “Together we will enhance and evaluate the innovative work happening on the ground in Rapid City that ultimately could be replicated in other communities across the nation.” The UNH research team also includes co-investigators Lisa Jones and Kimberly Mitchell and prevention specialist Caroline Leyva.  

In South Dakota, a youth-led engagement initiative, “Teen Up” will be enhanced through youth-adult partnerships that adapt best practices in sexual violence prevention to their local community. Youth in the schools will serve as research partners resulting in a collaboration rather than a mandate. “We are very excited to see young people share their voice, talents and leadership in this project as they create social changes needed in building a stronger community,” said Kristin Kiner, youth engagement coordinator for Teen Up.

“I’m confident that this project will give our students the confidence and skills to stay safe and prevent problems that could compromise their relationships, health, and safety,” said Lori Simon, superintendent of the Rapid City Area Schools. “It will also propel more of our teens into leadership positions, further preparing them for college and career.”

“I’m so excited to see how youth and adults can join together to learn, create, and implement strategies to support the overall health of the community, as well as having the opportunity to collect and share data to validate the effectiveness of community youth engagement in our community, and in communities across the nation,” said Linda Shroll, executive director of programs for Working Against Violence, Inc.

“On behalf of the SD Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, we are very excited for this wonderful opportunity for South Dakota,” said Krista Heeren-Graber, director of the network. “Violence prevention is critical work for the future of our SD youth.”

The University of New Hampshire is a flagship research university that inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. UNH’s research portfolio includes partnerships with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, receiving more than $100 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.