Sandy Hook Promise delivers, at no cost, four Know the Signs (KTS) violence prevention programs to middle and high schools nationwide. In most acts of victimization, the individual displays warning signs BEFORE taking any action. Youth who observe these signals do not always recognize/report them. KTS educates youth and adults how to identify, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others.
Each year, there are hundreds of thousands of acts of youth violence and other harmful behaviors that result from and/or contribute to lack of mental well-being, disruption of learning and safety, physical ailments, mental illness, and, at its extreme, loss of life via suicide or homicide. In most of these acts, the individual displays warning signs or signals BEFORE taking any action. Unfortunately, youth who observe these signs and signals do not always recognize/report what they are seeing.
In each community or school district KTS delivers to, SHP trains thousands of youth and adults, resulting in a reduction of acts of harm, bullying, self-harm, and other forms of victimization, as well as greater incidence of mental health and wellness intervention for at-risk youth. Additionally, communities will realize a reduction in disciplinary actions taken, increased trust between youth and adults, improved peer connections and inclusion among youth, among many more outcomes.
The goal is to build a national movement of parents, schools, and community organizations engaged and empowered to deliver KTS. This shift is critical to sustained violence and victimization prevention in schools, and ultimately, in communities. By targeting large school districts throughout the country, SHP is taking steps toward achieving a national culture of identifying, intervening, and getting help for individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others.
