The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Department of Education have teamed up to help stop bullying in schools and communities, They unveiled today what they are calling a “revitalized” Stop Bullying website, stopbullying.gov, which will aim to encourage children, parents and educators in communities across America to take action to stop and prevent bullying.
“Bullying is not just an education or health problem, it is a community problem,” said DHHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We are committed to working together at the federal level to help communities, schools and families address it as a single problem.”
“The website provides a map with detailed information on state laws and policies, interactive webisodes and videos for young people, practical strategies for schools and communities to ensure safe environments, and suggestions on how parents can talk about this sensitive subject with their children. The site also explores the dangers of cyberbullying and steps youngsters and parents can take to fight it. … There is a Get Help page, which is directly linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which means young people can get immediate help for themselves or others if needed. … The site now gives concrete steps that students, parents, educators and community members can take to prevent and stop bullying.”
Says Education Secretary Arne Duncan, “We’ve come a long way in the past year in educating the public about the health and educational impacts that bullying can have on students. But simply being aware of the problem is not enough. Everyone has a role to play, and StopBullying.gov features ways we can all take action against bullying.”
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The newly-released documentary, “Bully,” has launched a project of its own, called The Bully Project, in an effort to bring together organization and raise awareness about the subject of bullying in our society.
Heather Rudow is a staff writer for Counseling Today. Email her at hrudow@counseling.org.