Youth Violence Prevention Network

In 2004 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided a two year planning grant to the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) for the purpose of initiating activities that reduce youth violence in New Mexico.  Through this work a strategic planning process was initiated in September of 2005 and the New Mexico Department of Health, Office of Injury Prevention and the New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community (the Forum) established the New Mexico Youth Violence Prevention Network (NMYVPN) to coordinate statewide planning efforts and facilitate statewide collaboration with other prevention efforts.

The Youth Violence Prevention Network, a project of the Forum, is a statewide network dedicated to improving community health and well-being by building momentum for effective youth violence prevention. The Network extends beyond individual education to working to inform policy and legislation, change organizational practices, foster networks and coalitions, and promote community education. The Network serves as a driving force in:

• Bringing stakeholders together to build public will for comprehensive youth violence prevention

• Informing public policies that focus on quality, capacity building, and sustainability.

• Employing a systems-oriented approach aimed at creating healthier and safer environments

The Youth Violence Prevention Network emphasizes community-driven initiatives tailored to the specific needs of culturally diverse communities. Working together as a community is the best way to address any challenge. The community wheel identifies various sectors within every community who can support Youth Violence Prevention. It is expected that the Network will be comprised of key individuals represented in the wheel, all of whom reflect the cultural diversity of New Mexico.

The Forum shares a priority with youth and stakeholders statewide to promote positive youth development for the prevention of violence impacting young people in New Mexico.  The Forum’s Youth Violence Prevention Network has been revived to support this work statewide.  

From January to June, 2011, the Forum will create briefs, or short papers that address the prevalence of youth violence issues, ways to increase assets and resilience for youth, evidence-based strategies for prevention, and ways youth, communities and organizations can get involved.  The Forum is committed to keeping our networked youth and organizations involved by sharing information through social networking sites and news blasts about events and spreading the word about new approaches and resources for the elimination of youth violence in our state.  

1.  Teen Dating Violence and Building Healthy Relationships
2.  Gang Violence
3.  Juvenile Justice Issues, including gender-responsive approaches to youth involved in Juvenile Justice
4.  The Cost of Violence in New Mexico

For more information about the YVPN, contact Anna Nelson at (505) 821-3547ext.101, or via email at anelson@nmforumforyouth.org. 

To visit our Teen Dating Violence Prevention page, please click here.

Want to know more about our networks?  Click on the links here to find out descriptive information about our networks, including infrastructure, capacity-building and advocacy efforts.

Resources:

     Essential Elements of Youth Violence Prevention (308 kb)

     2007 Policy Agenda for Youth Violence Prevention in NM (500 kb)