FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASP Commends Hillary Clinton’s New Bullying Prevention Plan

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Bethesda, MD—The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) was pleased to see Hillary Clinton, Democratic candidate for President, release a comprehensive plan, “Better Than Bullying,” to help states and schools combat bullying. NASP has long advocated for the kinds of policies and practices called for in Clinton’s proposal. NASP’s A Framework for School-Wide Bullying Prevention and Safety provides guidance to help schools and local education agencies implement effective, sustainable, school-wide bullying prevention efforts. The Framework emphasizes the need for comprehensive, integrated efforts that support student’s mental and behavioral health, positive relationships, skill building, problem solving, and school connectedness.

“Better Than Bullying” encompasses many of NASP’s policy and practice priorities, including:

• Passing the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which requires that federally funded school districts adopt comprehensive policies to prohibit bullying on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion• Passing the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which requires that federally funded school districts adopt comprehensive policies to prohibit bullying on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion
• Expanding school mental and behavioral health prevention and early intervention services
• Creating positive school environments where all students feel safe and supported
• Expanding social–emotional learning and other comprehensive behavioral interventions
• Implementing suicide prevention programs
• Improving access to school psychologists and other school-employed mental health professionals

We are especially pleased that the plan recognizes the importance of investing in school psychologists and other specialized instructional support personnel. These professionals are uniquely trained to provide prevention and intervention services within the school context, and to play an integral role in helping schools address bullying. They provide comprehensive mental and behavioral health services to students, support school leaders in implementing positive school discipline practices, and help implement evidence-based suicide prevention programs. Additionally, school psychologists have expertise in program evaluation and data-based decision making at the individual and systems levels. They can help lead needs assessments and data analysis to inform bullying intervention and prevention efforts. School psychologists also are trained in counseling, positive behavior supports, consultation, and other school-based interventions necessary to help prevent and remediate bullying behavior.

NASP wholeheartedly agrees that “no child should face bullying or harassment, and children who do engage in bullying should receive supports to help them change their behavior.” Our schools have a primary responsibility to create learning environments in which all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or special needs, feel safe and supported. We look forward to working with the next Administration and Congress to ensure that our schools have the necessary policies, practices, and resources in place to do so. 

For further information, contact:

Katherine Cowan, Director of Communications, 301-347-1665, kcowan@naspweb.org

NASP empowers school psychologists by advancing effective practices to improve students’ learning, behavior, and mental health. Further information is available at www.nasponline.org.

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