Protect, Heal, Thrive: Lessons Learned from the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program

In order to address the high prevalence of children’s exposure to violence, eight sites around the country were selected by the Department of Justice for the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program. This national initiative aims to: prevent children’s exposure to violence; to mitigate the negative impact of such exposure when it does occur; and to develop knowledge and spread awareness about children’s exposure to violence, both within and beyond the chosen pilot sites. This report from the Center for Court Innovation is a crosssite synthesis of implementation strategies, lessons learned, and promising practices in six of the eight sites: Boston, MA; Chippewa Cree Tribe, Rocky Boy’s Reservation, MT; Cuyahoga County, OH; Grand Forks, ND; Rosebud Sioux Tribe, SD; and Shelby County, TN.