Ultimately, our prevention strategies touch thousands of children, families and communities across the state of Illinois. We have, with our partners:
•  increased resources for quality pre-school programming;
•  strengthened the after-school system in Illinois;
•  elevated the hidden issue of elder abuse;
•  enhanced the skills of educators, social workers, youth workers, child abuse preventionists, domestic violence workers and many others to be effective in their violence prevention work;
•  raised the voices of men to be leaders in ending violence against women; and
•  promoted effective bullying prevention, social-emotional learning, and positive parenting for healthy development.

We operate on the principle that violence can be prevented through three primary strategies that reach from individuals, families, and communities to the highest levels of state government, including:

1) Best Practices— Building the best practice knowledge and skills of organizations and communities to be effective in preventing violence to ensure that children, youth, and families receive the best services available;
2) Creating Long-term Solutions--Enhancing and creating services and systems that support preventing violence;
3) Public Policy Advocacy--Engaging policy and decision makers to expand support of the most viable violence prevention strategies.

Violence is far reaching. Those who experience violence can have life long challenges, affecting physical and mental health, and impacting family and friends, as well. Violence contributes to escalating health care, criminal justice, and insurance costs. It can shred the social fabric of communities.