The Melissa Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and prevention of violence through education, community service, research support and consultation. Our mission is to prevent violence and promote safer communities through education and application of research-based knowledge.

A Framework for Understanding and Teaching Literacy

We are proud to announce the release of The Melissa Institute Literacy Website

Visit the site now at: www.litdiet.org

The site was developed by Dr. Dale Willows of the University of Toronto, a member of both the National Reading panel and the Scientific Board of the Institute.

We wish to thank everyone who supported the development of this important website. We know with scientific certainty that violence and illiteracy are linked together. We urge you to support our efforts to teach every child to read on grade level by the end of third grade and to help remediate those who missed that important milestone.

We invite you to visit our site for educators TeachSafeSchools.org to access relevant, research based information on the prevention of school violence.

---

ACT Raising Safe Kids Training Program”

Adults and Children Together Against Violence (ACT) has a program designed by the American Psychological Association (APA) to train early childhood, mental health and service agency professionals to deliver an enhanced parent and child caregiver’s education curriculum.  Formerly known as Parents Raising Safe Kids, the newly renamed ACT Raising Safe Kids continues to emphasize the importance of all the adults in children’s lives. Our actions, our words, our abilities serve as role models for the young children living and learning in our care.

June 21-22, 2012 – ACT Raising Safe Kids Facilitator Training, South Miami Hospital [Info & Registration]

July 25-26, 2012 – ACT Raising Safe Kids Facilitator Training, South Miami Hospital [Info & Registration]

August 15-16, 2012 – ACT Raising Safe Kids Facilitator Training, South Miami Hospital [Info & Registration]

October 9-10, 2012 – ACT Raising Safe Kids Facilitator Training, South Miami Hospital [Info & Registration]

For more information and to register, contact The Melissa Institute 786-662-5210. To sign up for the training program and other information, click links above

Bullying Prevention: Social Responsibility for the 21st Century

Faculty: Debra Pepler, Ph.D., C. Psych., Wendy Craig, Ph.D., Ron Slaby, Ph.D., Kim Storey, Ed.D., Suzy Berrios, MSW, Ed.S

On Friday, November 19, 2010, more than 230 public school psychologists, social workers, counselors and crisis team members attended a special conference hosted by The Melissa Institute and sponsored by Miami-Dade County Public Schools Division of Student Services and Baptist Children’s Hospital. The school-based mental health professionals listened to and interacted with leading national and international experts as they discussed the latest research on the effects of bullying, victimization, bystanders and cyber-bullying on students in elementary, middle and high schools. When students do not feel safe in school, it affects their emotional, social, cognitive and physical health. All the adults – parents, teachers, bus drivers, security guards, cafeteria helpers, coaches and aftercare workers – who are in children and teens’ lives need to be aware and wise to the covert bullying behaviors that can erode self esteem and creativity. Grown ups must set examples of respectful, caring behaviors while guiding young people to develop healthy relationship skills. Conference handouts are available in Downloads section.  

Read our 2012 Report to the Community - Coming of Age: 15 Years of Violence Prevention - to learn more about our activities.

Speaking Personally

The Melissa Institute was founded after the murder of Melissa Aptman to honor her memory and share the science of violence prevention. Below are some personal writings from Dr. Michael Aptman and Lynn Aptman, Melissa's parents and the founders of The Melissa Institute: Violence is Preventable - presented at Peace and Harmony 2009 by Dr. Michael Aptman.[PDF] One In A Million? - an article by Dr. Michael Aptman published in Neurology, a medical journal. It expresses his professional and personal experiences as a result of Melissa's murder.[PDF] Silence the Violence - lyrics of a song composed by Lynn Aptman, which she performed at the Peace & Harmony concert, Music for a Better World.[PDF] Uncertainty - a poem written by Melissa Aptman shortly before her death.[PDF] You will also find on this site scientific papers and educational presentations from our Scientific Board, Workshops and Conferences dealing with specific areas of violence prevention and treatment.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2012

The Melissa Institute nurtures the work of young scientists by awarding annual scholarships to support doctoral students' dissertation research in the field of violence prevention. The 2012 winners have been announced! Please click here to find out more information.

The following letter from Suzanne Keeley, President of The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment was published in the Miami Herald October 18, 2009

After Tragedy -
To Stop School Violence

The notion that violence in schools is random -- and therefore cannot be stopped -- is flawed. Scientific research informs schools and other institutions about what they can do to minimize violent acts. Read more

Meichenbaum Blogs on Psychology Today

Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, Research Director of The Melissa Institute, is a guest blogger on the Psychology Today website. To see his blog, please click here.

New paper available on Suicide

Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, Research Director of The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment has written a paper entitled 35 Years of Working with Suicidal Patients: Lessons Learned available on this site. [download]

The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment Establishes Literacy Website for Educators

Internationally acclaimed reading expert, Dr. Dale Willows, has agreed to establish a literacy Web site in conjunction with The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment. The proposed site will serve as an integral tool in providing professional development information and training for elementary school teachers. [more]

Visit our Sunflower Gallery! Students’ sunflower artwork and poems.

Check Out Our Handouts!

Handouts from all conferences from our most recent in 2011 back to 2003 are now available in the Downloads section. See the growth of The Melissa Institute through the years in our Community Reports first published in 1997.

The Melissa Institute has launched a new website for school violence prevention. We invite you to visit TeachSafeSchools.org to access relevant, research based information for educators.