The Fourth R: Implementing Evidence-Based Healthy Relationships and Mental Health Promotion Programming in Diverse Contexts

Abstract

There is an increasing awareness that youth mental health problems and violence are public health concerns that require public health approaches to prevention. Simply put, these are not challenges that we are going to treat or arrest our way out of but rather are more effectively approached through a public health lens for several reasons. The Fourth R is an approach that includes an array of evidence-based and evidence-informed programs designed to develop youth's healthy relationship skills, promote positive mental health, and prevent violence. This chapter describes the Fourth R, its evidence base, and lessons learned regarding successful school-based program implementation. There is an increasing awareness that youth mental health problems and violence are public health concerns that require public health approaches to prevention. Simply put, these are not challenges that we are going to "treat" or "arrest" our way out of but rather are more effectively approached through a public health lens for several reasons.