[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 58460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21991]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors 
in Adolescents: An NIH State-of-the-Science Conference

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
conference, ``Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social 
Behaviors in Adolescents: An NIH State-of-the-Science Conference,'' to 
be held October 13-15, 2004, in the NIH Natcher Conference Center, 45 
Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892. The conference will begin at 
8:30 a.m. on October 13 and 14, and at 9 a.m. on October 15, and will 
be open to the public.
    From a variety of studies, researchers know that approximately one 
in five children and adolescents display signs and symptoms of a 
defined emotional or psychiatric disorder during the course of a year. 
These signs and symptoms often signal increased risk of problems such 
as aggression, delinquency, drug abuse, violence, and other health-
risking social behaviors that cause substantial difficulties with 
family and peers, at school and at work.
    Many prevention and intervention programs to address violence and 
related youth behavior problems have developed out of need and have not 
been rigorously evaluated for their safety and effectiveness. Moreover, 
interventions with demonstrated effectiveness appear to be 
underutilized. Research has progressed at a rapid pace; it is now 
appropriate to assess the state of science with regard to interventions 
to reduce the risk for youth violence and related behavior problems, as 
well as to reduce problem behavior once it has been initiated. While 
research focused on what works is critical, it is equally important to 
assess what has been learned about interventions that do not work.
    During the first day-and-a-half of the conference, experts will 
present the latest research findings on preventing violence and related 
health-risking behaviors in adolescents to an independent panel. After 
weighing all of the scientific evidence, the panel will draft a 
statement, addressing the following key questions:

--What are the factors that contribute to violence and associated 
adverse health outcomes in childhood and adolescence?
--What are the patterns of co-occurrence of these factors?
--What evidence exists on the safety and effectiveness of interventions 
for violence?
--Where evidence of safety and effectiveness exists, are there other 
outcomes beyond reducing violence? If so, what is known about 
effectiveness by age, sex, and race/ethnicity?
--What are the commonalities among interventions that are effective and 
those that are ineffective?
--What are the priorities for future research?

    On the final day of the conference, the panel chairperson will read 
the draft statement to the conference audience and invite comments and 
questions. A press conference will follow to allow the panel and 
chairperson to respond to questions from the media.
    The primary sponsors of this meeting are the National Institute of 
Mental Health and the NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research.
    Advance information about the conference and conference 
registration materials may be obtained from American Institutes for 
Research of Silver Spring, Maryland, by calling (888) 644-2667 or by 
sending e-mail to [email protected]. American Institutes for 
Research's mailing address is 10720 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 
20901. Registration information is also available on the NIH Consensus 
Development Program Web site at http://consensus.nih.gov.

    Please Note: The NIH has recently instituted new security 
measures to ensure the safety of NIH employees and property. All 
visitors must be prepared to show a photo ID upon request. Visitors 
may be required to pass through a metal detector and have bags, 
backpacks, or purses inspected or x-rayed as they enter NIH 
buildings. For more information about the new security measures at 
NIH, please visit the Web site at http://www.nih.gov/about/visitorssecurity.htm.


    Dated: September 23, 2004.
Raynard S. Kington,
Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 04-21991 Filed 9-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P