Health and mental health care services can play an important role in violence prevention at all levels (primary, secondary and tertiary), including preventing problem behaviors from developing; identifying and serving specific, at-risk populations; and reducing the deleterious effects of violence on victims and witnesses.

• Youth and Violence. Commission for the Prevention of Youth Violence, December 2000. Available on the Internet at http://www.ama-assn.org/violence.

School counselors were effective in reducing victimization by assisting victimized children, reducing bullying behaviors and modifying the school climate and structure.

• Hanish, L.D. & Guerra, N.G. (2000). Children who get victimized at school: What is known? What can be done? Professional School Counseling, 4, 113-119.

Both the California state and federal governments have recognized the importance of school counselors. California's 1999-2000 Legislature passed a law (Assembly Bill 1113) providing new funding for school safety. This funding can be used to add student support services, including school counseling. In addition, the federal government's involvement includes a funding opportunity specifically directed at increasing the number of elementary school counselors given that such counselors "can contribute to the personal growth, educational development, and emotional well-being of elementary and secondary school children by providing professional counseling, intervention, and referral services" (U.S. Senate, 1999, p. 2).

• Riley, P.L. & McDaniel, J. (2000). School violence, prevention, intervention, and crisis response. Professional School Counseling, 4:2, 120-125.

Counselors are effective in assisting high school students with college choices.

• Student Poll. (2000). Art & Science Group, Inc. 4:2, 1-10. Available on the Internet at www.artsci.com.

A study shows that school counselor effectiveness was influenced by school climate. In schools with effective counseling programs, principals generally provided enthusiastic support for the programs and encouragement to the counselors. Another common element was a clear understanding between counselors and administrators as to the goals of the school counseling programs. These conditions were generally not present in ineffective programs.

• Sutton, J.M. & Fall, M. (1995). The relationship of school climate factors to counselor self-efficacy. Journal of Counseling & Development, 73 331-336.

Research shows that school counseling interventions have a substantial impact on students' educational and personal development. Individual and small-group counseling, classroom guidance and consultation activities seem to contribute directly to students' success in the classroom and beyond. School counselors should spend the majority of their time performing these interventions. Coordination activities should be confined to those that improve the program?s efficiency and accountability.

• Borders, L.D. & Drury, S.M. (1992). Comprehensive school counseling programs: A review for policymakers and practitioners. Journal of Counseling & Development, 70, 487-498.

Studies show effective counseling programs are based on human development theories. Program content, goals, and interventions should reflect this theoretical foundation. A developmental program is proactive and preventive, helping students acquire the knowledge, skills, self-awareness and attitudes necessary for successful mastery of normal developmental tasks. Developmentally-based programs increase the visibility of the counseling program and ensure that more students are served (Myrick; Shaw & Goodyear). There is also substantial empirical evidence that these programs promote student development and academic success.

• Myrick, R.D. (1987). Developmental guidance and counseling: A practical approach. Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corporation.
• Shaw, M.C. & Goodyear, R.K. (1984). Prologue to primary prevention in schools. The Personnel and Guidance Journal, 62, 446-447.
• Borders, L.D. & Drury, S.M. (1992). Comprehensive school counseling programs: A review for policymakers and practitioners. Journal of Counseling & Development, 70, 487-498.

A study of Missouri high schools shows that schools with more fully implemented model guidance programs had students who were more likely to report that (a) they had earned higher grades, (b) their education was better preparing them for the future, (c) their school made more career and college information available to them, and (d) their school had a more positive climate (greater feelings of belonging and safety at school, classes less likely to be interrupted, peers behaving better). After removing the variables of school enrollment size, socioeconomic status, and percentage of minority students in attendance, positive program effects were identifiable. Results highlight the important roles school counselors play in promoting the central educational goals of their schools and support a comprehensive guidance program focus for university counseling faculty who train school counselors.

• Lapan, R.T., Gysbers, N.C., & Sun, Y. (1997). The impact of more fully implemented guidance programs on the school experiences of high school students: A statewide evaluation study. Journal of Counseling & Development, 75, 292-302.

School counselors have proven effective in preventing students from committing suicide. The most effective prevention programs start with younger students and portray suicide as a mental health problem, not a dramatic way of ending a life. It is essential that counselors involve the parents of troubled students in the counseling process.

• Jones, R. (2001). Suicide Watch: What can you do to stop children from killing themselves? American School Board Journal, May, 16-21.

In studies on the effects of a small group counseling approach for failing elementary school students, 83 percent of participating students showed improvement in grades.

• Boutwell, D.A., & Myrick, R.D. (1992). The go for it club. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, 27, 65-72.

A study on the effects of counseling on classroom performance found that the underachieving students who received counseling improved significantly on the Self-Rating Scale of Classroom Behavior and in mathematics and language arts grades.

• Gerler, E. R., Kinney, J., & Anderson, R. F. (1985). The effects of counseling on classroom performance. Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 23, 155-165.

(source: Paul Meyers and the California Department of Education)