Logo: School-Based Center for Prevention, Education and Advocacy

Prevention Programming in Connecticut Schools Survey

SERC’s School-Based Center for Prevention, Education, and Advocacy conducted the Prevention Programming in Connecticut Schools Survey in Fall 2022. All public school districts and non-public schools were invited to participate. The purpose of this statewide survey was to gather and share information regarding the prevention programs that Connecticut school districts are implementing around mental health, suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and social-emotional learning. The survey results will inform the foundation for the Center’s resource sharing, future outreach, and collaboration with districts.

The survey results highlight the areas of prevention programming that school districts have provided within the past five years, whether districts have prevention teams and work with community partners, and what specific prevention programs districts are using. Results are presented for statewide data as well as grouped by District Reference Groups (DRGs). DRGs are a classification used by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) in which districts that have public school students with a similar average socioeconomic status (SES) and need are grouped together (CSDE, 2006).

The results are being made publicly available through the Center for use by school districts, the Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs) and other Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Resource Links members, and community partners. Public dissemination of the results provides opportunities for districts to share knowledge and showcase best practices and lessons learned.

Prevention Programming in Connecticut Schools Survey: DRGs A-C

The data below represents survey responses from districts in District Reference Groups A-C (n=10). DRGs are a classification used by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) in which districts that have public school students with a similar average socioeconomic status (SES) and need are grouped together (CSDE, 2006).

The data displays responses to the following four questions:

  • Within the past 5 years, has your district provided prevention programming for students in the following areas? (Mental Health, Social Emotional Learning, Substance Use Prevention, Suicide Prevention; check all that apply)
  • Describe the prevention programs your district has implemented.
  • Do you have district-wide or school-based prevention teams?
  • Do you work with any community partners to implement prevention programming?
AC Prevention Program Areas
AC Prevention Teams
AC Community Partners
AC Programs and Approaches

Data Tables

District Reference Groups A-C

Community Partners - District Reference Groups A-C
Yes 100
No 0
  • The Center for Children with Special Needs
  • The Child Health and Development Institite of Connecticut (CHDI)
  • Connecticut Behavioral Health (CBH)
  • Youth Services Bureaus
Prevention Teams - District Reference Groups A-C
Yes 100
No 0
Prevention Program Areas - District Reference Groups A-C
Area of Prevention Programming Percent of Districts Providing
Mental Health 80
Social Emotional Learning 90
Substance Use Prevention 80
Suicide Prevention 80
Programs and Approaches - District Reference Groups A-C
Name of Prevention Program Percent of Districts Implementing
Signs of Suicide 40
General Health Curriculum 30
Gizmo 30
QPR Institute 30
Choose Love 20
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) 20
RULER 20
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) 10
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions  10
DARE 10
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy  10
Jordan Porco Foundation Check In program  10
Listening Circles 10
Management in the Active Classroom 10
MindUp 10
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) 10
Sandy Hook Promise 10
School Counselors and Prevention Staff 10
Second Step 10
Social Thinking 10
Teen Talk: Kids in Crisis Counselors 10
Trauma Informed Instruction 10
Vaping Prevention 10
Wingman 10
Full List of Prevention Programs and Approaches
Name of Prevention Program Link to Program Site (if available)
Advisory Program
A Little Spot of Feelings https://www.dianealber.com/
CASEL Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning https://casel.org/ 
Choose Love https://chooselovemovement.org/ 
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) https://traumaawareschools.org/index.php/learn-more-cbits/ 
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions https://www.cpsconnection.com/ 
Connecticut Junior Republic Wellness Center Program https://www.ctjuniorrepublic.org/page.cfm?p=518
DARE https://dare.org/ 
The DESSA https://apertureed.com/dessa/
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) 
Effective School Solutions https://www.effectiveschoolsolutions.com/
General Health Curriculum
Gizmo https://www.gizmo4mentalhealth.org/ 
Jordan Porco Foundation Check In program https://freshcheckday.com/checkin/ 
Listening Circles
Management in the Active Classroom https://eleducation.org/resources/management-in-the-active-classroom 
MindUp https://mindup.org/ 
Pathway to Prevention https://www.pathwaytoprevention.org/
Pathways 2 Success
PEERS Social Skills Groups https://caatonline.com/peers-social-skills-groups/
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Positive Choices https://relationshipandsexuality.oakhillct.org/positive-choices/ 
QPR Institute https://qprinstitute.com/ 
Responsive Classroom https://www.crslearn.org/
Restorative Practices
RULER https://www.rulerapproach.org/ 
Sandy Hook Promise  https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/ 
School Avoidance Program
School Connect https://school-connect.net/
School Counselors/Prevention Staff
School Engagement Program https://www.whps.org/pupil-services/secondary-schools
Second Step https://www.secondstep.org/ 
Shifting Boundaries https://www.wcwonline.org/Active-Projects/dating-violence-prevention-programs-in-public-middle-schools
Signs of Suicide (SOS) https://www.mindwise.org/sos-signs-of-suicide/ 
Social Thinking https://www.socialthinking.com/
Teen Talk: Kids in Crisis Counselors https://www.kidsincrisis.org/get-help/teentalk/ 
Trauma Informed Instruction
Vaping Prevention
Wingman https://www.dylanswingsofchange.org/programs 
Full List of Participating Districts
  • Bethel
  • Bozrah
  • Bridgeport
  • Canterbury
  • Columbia
  • Diocese of Bridgeport
  • Ezra Academy
  • Farmington
  • Guilford
  • Hamden
  • Hartford
  • Hebron
  • Highville Charter School
  • Interdistrict School for Arts and Comm
  • New Beginnings Inc Family Academy District
  • New Hartford
  • New Haven
  • New London
  • Newtown
  • Oak Hill School
  • Oxford
  • Plainfield
  • Plainville
  • Regional School District 05
  • Suffield
  • Thomaston
  • West Hartford
  • Willington
  • Windham
  • Windsor Locks