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RECOGNIZING & PREVENTING YOUTH VIOLENCE

A Guide for Physicians & Other Health Care Professionals

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Medical Society and its Committee on Violence

The Recognizing and Preventing Youth Violence online CME activity is based on the Massachusetts Medical Society's youth violence guidebook originally published in 2004. The content was reviewed and updated in the development of this CME activity.

It has now been five years since the introduction of the first version of this program.  Unfortunately, although great reductions have been made in youth violence, violence is still among the leading causes of injury, death, and physical and mental disability for American children. Although physicians and other health care professionals have always been involved in treating the results of violence, recent research and practice suggests that we can also play a critical role in its prevention.

There are two different opportunities for intervention and prevention: during a routine health care visit and when caring for a youth who has been injured. On these occasions we can provide preventive education, help families raise resilient children, screen for risk, and develop linkages to community and medical resources.

This program was developed to:

• Provide basic information about youth violence
• Describe appropriate assessments of risk and resilience
• Suggest approaches to violence prevention and intervention
• Present ideas and resources for advocacy and research
• Introduce the Massachusetts Medical Society Committee on Violence's Violence Prevention for Children and Youth Parent Education Cards (Tip Cards).

This program does not focus on determining who is a victim and who is a perpetrator, as these distinctions can become blurred when dealing with youth violence. Instead, this program guide will focus on identifying known risk factors and predictors for violent behavior, in order to reduce injury for all youths at risk.

Each patient contact is an opportunity for us to listen, counsel, and teach. As health care professionals, we can make a significant impact in the prevention of youth violence.

For more information visit www.massmed.org/violence.

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