The Yale–New Haven Primary Prevention Program

Best practices guidelines for mental health promotion programs: Children & Youth

The Yale–New Haven Primary Prevention Program is an American school intervention program, designed in 1968 for marginalized children from kindergarten to Grade 4. It focuses on creating a supportive school environment through organizational initiatives. Key elements of the program include:

a representative government and management group
parent participation program and group
a mental health program and team
an academic program.

Reference

Comer, J. (1985). The Yale–New Haven Primary Prevention Project: A follow-up study. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 24 (2), 154–160.

Best practice guidelines for mental health promotion programs: Children and Youth

Guideline 1: Address and modify risk and protective factors that indicate possible mental health concerns
Guideline 2: Intervene in multiple settings, with a focus on schools
Guideline 3: Focus on skill building, empowerment, self-efficacy and individual resilience, and respect
Guideline 4: Train non-professionals to establish caring and trusting relationships
Guideline 5: Involve multiple stakeholders
Guideline 6: provide comprehensive support systems that focus on peer and parent-child relations, and academic performance
Guideline 7: Adopt multiple interventions
Guideline 8: Address opportunities for organizational change, policy development and advocacy
Guideline 9: Demonstrate a long-term commitment to program planing, development and evaluation
Guideline 10: Ensure that information and services provided are culturally appropriate, equitable and holistic
Theory, definitions and context for mental health promotion
Resources: Glossary
References
Authorship and acknowledgements

The Yale–New Haven Primary Prevention Program

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