News Release

Washington, DC – Idaho Senator Mike Crapo congratulated the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (ICASDV), St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise and the Idaho Department of Education on receiving one of just eleven national private grants to address teen dating violence awareness and prevention called “Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships” (BHTR). “In recent years, the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence has helped Idaho take a leading role in state level efforts that encourage teens toward healthy relationships,” said Crapo. “The unique partnership roles played by St. Luke’s and the Idaho Department of Education will make this a revolutionary effort in educating teens and communities across Idaho about the importance of healthy dating relationships, one that builds on the Coalition’s previous successes. I had the privilege of recognizing the 2007 – 2008 teens who formed the ICASDV Idaho Teen Advisor Council on Teen Dating Violence in a Congressional Record Statement earlier this year. This week, I was joined by a number of other Senators in introducing my annual Senate Resolution declaring the first full week in February, ‘National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.’ The announcement of these grants reinforces the focus on teen dating violence awareness and prevention in Idaho and nationwide.”

This $18 million grant pool, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) at ten sites nationwide and at one California site by the Blue Shield of California Foundation, will help communities create prevention models by working with 6th to 8th grade youth, while utilizing older teens in mentor roles. Throughout the effort, teens will play an integral part in designing and implementing program activities. RWJF has selected the Family Violence Prevention Fund to serve as the national program office for BHTR. ICASDV and the other ten recipients were chosen out of 500 applicants after a seven month screening process. Each site will receive up to $1 million for the four-year initiative. Nationally, BHTR is comprised of 41 organizations and aims to reach approximately 90,000 youth in over 400 schools, representing more than 60 school districts.

For more information on BHTR, please visit http://crapo.senate.gov.