The OJJDP-sponsored National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence found that nearly 60 percent of children in the United States experience or witness violence, crime, or abuse at home, in school, or in their communities. These traumas can impact children’s brain development and possibly lead to lifelong health and social consequences.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has worked to address children’s exposure to violence in larger cities and tribal communities for many years. October marks the 1-year anniversary of DOJ's launch of the Changing Minds campaign. OJJDP supported the development of this national public education campaign to raise awareness about the urgency and prevalence of childhood trauma, change perspectives about the impact of children’s exposure to violence, and motivate adults who regularly interact with children and youth to take action and help. OJJDP initially provided $2 million in fiscal year 2015 funding to develop and launch the campaign.

The Back Story

Changing Minds was previewed in June 2016 during the National Summit on Preventing Youth Violence and formally launched by DOJ on October 19, 2016. OJJDP partnered with Futures Without Violence, the Ad Council, and Wunderman to create Changing Minds in response to a recommendation in the Report of the Attorney General’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence calling for “a national public awareness campaign to create fundamental changes in perspectives in every organization, community, and household.” The campaign teaches the science of childhood trauma and how actions taken by caring adults in children’s lives can have healing and positive effects.

Tools and Resources

The campaign website, changingmindsNOW.org, includes two original videos depicting the personal stories of adults who, as children, were exposed to violence in their homes and communities, and reunions with the adults who helped them. The videos, “Chad” and “Unique,” dramatize how consistent relationships with caring adults can positively impact the lives of traumatized children. Another video, “Reshape the Brain,” explores the science behind the impact of violence on children’s brain development.

The website also offers child-serving professionals and caregivers five specific everyday gestures to celebrate, comfort, collaborate with, listen to, and inspire children and young people to help them overcome their trauma. Other Changing Minds resources include presentations on resilience, the effects of early life stress, brain power, and building better brains; a toolkit containing campaign videos, posters, and background information; and a curriculum for the Changing Minds Institute, which helps communities strategize how to enhance resiliency and healing for children and youth.

Efforts and Results

In addition to funding, developing, and administering the campaign, OJJDP works with Futures Without Violence to publicize it. Efforts have included creating and circulating resource material, incorporating information in numerous events, such as the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Annual Juvenile Justice Conference, spreading the campaign’s message via various social media outlets, and partnering with more than 30 national organizations to conduct additional outreach and promotion.

The campaign’s digital content has been recognized nationally. The Chad and Unique videos recently won awards for cinematography and video editing from the American Advertising Awards, film direction and cinematography from the Cannes Lions, and film technique (direction) from the Clio Awards. “Reshape the Brain” received a 2017 American Advertising Award for Animation, Special Effects, and Motion Graphics.

OJJDP recently allocated nearly $800,000 in fiscal year 2017 funds for Changing Minds. These funds will be used to develop new campaign tools and materials, expand the campaign’s learning communities, assess the campaign’s impact, and disseminate best practices and lessons learned.

Resources:

Access publications in the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence series on the OJJDP website.