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.

16th Annual Conference

Family-based Interventions with Children and Adolescents

Friday, May 4, 2012
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Recent reviews of evidence-based interventions have highlighted that some of the most effective treatments for children and adolescents with both externalizing problems (conduct and oppositional disorders, substance abuse and antisocial behaviors) and internalizing problems (anxiety and depressive disorders) directly engage parents as partners of the treatment team. This conference will review "state-of-the-art" effective ways to involve parents in treatment in a culturally and ethnically sensitive fashion.

Discussions and demonstrations by leaders in the field will include:
• Specific practical ways to include parents in treatment for a variety of disorders and behavioral problems,
• The Core Psychotherapeutic tasks that should be included in parent management training on both a treatment and preventative basis,
• How schools can more effectively engage parents.
• Detailed handouts, video demonstrations and clinical hands-on training will be provided in breakout sessions.

Victor E. Clarke Education Center
South Miami Hospital
U.S. 1 and SW 62 Avenue
[Info & Registration]

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.

March 19-20, 2012 – ACT Raising Safe Kids Facilitator Training, South Miami Hospital [Info & Registration]

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

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]

November 14-15, 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.  

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.

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 2011

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 2011 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]