harm prevention program

Targeted violence (including mass and school shootings) is rarely caused by a single factor. U.S. Secret Service and FBI studies show a common pattern: attackers often experience a personal crisis or grievance, communicate “leakage” (warning signs) beforehand, plan their attacks, and face multiple stressors (bullying or harassment, family/domestic violence, academic/disciplinary problems), with ready access to weapons acting as a critical enabling factor. Mental illness alone is not a reliable predictor. 

Domestic violence often appears in the histories of mass attackers. Recent U.S. Secret Service “Mass Attacks in Public Spaces” analyses and case studies highlight Domestic Violence links and call for earlier, multidisciplinary intervention.

School safety research also shows that in nearly all incidents, concerning behaviors were observable beforehand, and in many cases, peers or adults noticed but did not report concerns. Building bystander-reporting cultures and simple, always-on reporting systems is therefore essential.

Finally, social disconnection and loneliness raise population-level risks for mental and physical harm. The U.S. Surgeon General frames social connection as a public-health priority, with a national, six-pillar framework for communities, schools, workplaces, and health systems. 

Grow empathy + connection early, reduce bullying, monitor the psychosocial status of at risk persons, and activate supports quickly.  Aspire’s model blends universal, selective, and indicated supports across the lifespan, starting with children and families and extending through schools, communities, and care systems.

1. Roots of Empathy (ROE): classroom program shown in randomized trials to increase prosocial behavior and reduce aggression/bullying, with benefits sustained years later. 

2. Good Behavior Game (GBG): evidence-based classroom practice that lowers disruptive/aggressive behavior and yields long-term reductions in high-risk outcomes into young adulthood. 

3. School connectedness strategies (belonging, trusted adult relationships, restorative practices) protect against violence, substance use, and poor mental health. 

1. Anti-bullying programs with strong evidence, e.g., KiVa and Olweus, reduce bullying and victimization when implemented with fidelity and whole-school buy-in. 

2. Second Step / PATHS and related SEL curricula improve emotion regulation, empathy, and problem-solving are key buffers against aggression. 

3. Peer-led “upstander” programs such as Sources of Strength increase help-seeking and (in recent large RCTs) reduced suicide attempts by ~29%, a crucial upstream prevention for violent crises. 

1. Build a bystander-reporting culture and offer 24/7, anonymous reporting options (web, text, phone). Use the NTAC/CISA K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit to design and implement. 

2. Stand up a multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment team aligned with federal guidance; act on “concerning behaviors,” not profiles, and pair accountability with support. 

1. Normalize help-seeking and make 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, crisis text/chat, and local mobile crisis units visible in all youth-facing spaces. Gatekeeper trainings (e.g., Teen/Mental Health First Aid) reliably improve recognition of warning signs and referral behaviors. 

2. Anonymous reporting + warm handoffs → school counselors, social workers, and community resources. Measure and improve time-to-response.

1. Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) reduce reinjury and arrests among violently injured patients through trauma-informed, wraparound services. 

2. Violence interruption/community outreach models (e.g., Cure Violence) show city-level reductions in shootings when implemented with strong fidelity and local partnerships. 

3.    Media & contagion: “do no harm” communications - responsible  post-incident communications can help reduce “copycat” risk. Studies show short-term contagion effects after highly publicized mass killings; avoid  perpetrator glorification and focus coverage on victims, healing, and      help. 

Aspira Health Global distills the strongest evidence into a practical, community-led blueprint so any locality can build its own harm-prevention program. We’ve done the homework, Aspira turns proven strategies into a ready-to-use toolkit that empowers communities to prevent harm. Grounded in rigorous research, Aspira gives communities a clear, customizable roadmap to stop harm before it starts.

Aspira translates the best global evidence into local action, helping communities design and run their own harm-prevention programs. From evidence to action: Aspira’s toolkit equips communities to build effective, community-led harm-prevention programs.

A. Build authentic relationships & empathy (universal layer) – implement ROE/GBG and evidence-based SEL; embed restorative circles to practice empathy, accountability, and repair. Track school connectedness each term. 

B. Make bullying prevention non-negotiable - adopt whole-school anti-bullying with staff training, family engagement, and student leadership (KiVa/Olweus). Monitor bullying prevalence and bystander actions. 

C. Normalize “see something, say something (safely)” - launch always-on, anonymous reporting with feedback loops to increase trust; train students and staff using the NTAC/CISA toolkit; integrate with your MTSS. 

D. Add peer-to-peer strength - train and support peer leaders (e.g., Sources of Strength) to increase hope, adult connections, and early referrals, especially for students on the margins. 

E. Measurement-Based Care (MBC) and alerts – our MBC platform uses routine, evidence based psychosocial validated assessments, such as PHQ-9/GAD-7, suicidality, aggression/bullying victimization) to detect deterioration early, trigger alerts, and co-plan supports with students and families. Meta-analyses show that routine outcome monitoring with feedback improves outcomes and reduces deterioration. 

F. Rapid response pathways - written playbooks for tiered responses (counseling → family engagement → threat assessment → mobile crisis/988). Track time-to-contact and resolution.

G. Community partnerships – we partner with local hospitals for HVIP referrals; youth organizations for mentoring; faith and civic groups for connection-building opportunities aligned with the Surgeon General’s social-connection pillars.