NCJ Number
241015
Date Published
2008
Length
1 page
Annotation
This document discusses the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Centre's (CAMH's) comprehensive violence prevention and healthy relationship program for schools, the "Fourth R" program.
Abstract
The CAMH Centre for Prevention Science (CAMH-CPS) is part of the Child, Youth and Family program within the Department of Psychiatry at CAMH / University of Toronto. CAMH-CPS houses the "Fourth R" project for schools, a comprehensive violence prevention and healthy relationship program that is currently implemented in over 1,200 schools across North America after completion of a rigorous evaluation in London, Ontario. The original "Fourth R" grade 9/10 curriculum was developed to help adolescents form healthy relationships and make better choices while they navigate critical developmental minefields such as substance use, sexual relationships, bullying, and violence. Through open dialogue and role-playing, the curriculum engages teachers and students in enthusiastic discussion about peer pressure, media literacy, emotional and psychological abuse and healthy communication. Since the development of this program, the Centre has developed and implemented Grades 9-12 English Fourth R Programs, a Grade 8 Fourth R program, a version for use with Alternative Education, Suspensions, and Expulsion programs, and an Aboriginal Perspective Fourth R curriculum. The Centre also creates resources for parents in the form of newsletters, books, and how-to-manuals and provides in service training to educators, administrators and community professionals.