National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently announced the launch of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-TALK. The national hotline is part of the National Suicide Prevention Initiative, a collaborative effort led by SAMHSA. A new Web site is also available at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Alcohol Prevention for Middle Schoolers
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has released a new version of “The Cool Spot,” the Institute’s Web site for middle school students. The Web site’s new content is based on curriculum for grades 6-8 developed by NIAAA-supported researchers at the University of Michigan. It is aimed at giving young teens a clearer picture about alcohol use among their peers and helping them learn skills to resist pressure to drink alcohol. Visit: www.thecoolspot.gov.

Talk with Fifth Graders About Alcohol
In March, fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms across the nation were mailed materials for a program called Reach Out Now: Talk with Your Fifth Grader about Preventing Childhood Alcohol Use. The program provides teachers, students, and parents information about the risks of underage drinking. A collaboration between SAMHSA and Scholastic, Inc., in consultation with NIAAA and the U.S. Department of Education, the products include lessons and in-class activities for teachers, as well as a “take-home” packet for students and parents. For more information and copies of the materials, visit www.teachin.samhsa.gov.

New NREPP Web Pages
New National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) pages are posted on the SAMHSA Model Programs Web site. These pages describe the new NREPP criteria and process, and include a discussion of how the existing programs will be screened against the new review criteria. Visit: www.modelprograms.samhsa.gov.

Truancy Prevention Web Site
The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSFDS) have launched a truancy prevention Web site. The site offers an overview of truancy issues, information on promising strategies for reducing truancy, and other resources. Visit: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/truancy.