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One important component of a comprehensive approach to teen dating violence prevention is ensuring that the best available data, evidence, and practice are included in policy development, implementation, and evaluation. The Dating Matters Guide to Informing Policy provides a framework for evaluating Teen Dating Violence (TDV) and TDV-related policies and synthesizing the information to inform policy.


Stakeholder Engagement and Education. 1. Problem Identification, 2. Policy Analysis, 3. Strategy and Policy Development, 4. Policy Enactment, 5. Policy Implementation

The Policy Process

Policy development is not a linear process. Often the phases of the policy cycle overlap or occur out of order.

The Dating Matters Interactive Guide to Policy is one component of the Dating Matters comprehensive prevention model, designed to promote healthy, respectful, nonviolent dating relationships among youth. The Dating Matters model supports communities' efforts to implement prevention strategies in schools, with families, and in neighborhoods.

CDC recognizes the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for developing the Dating Matters Guide to Informing Policy and for their assistance in developing the web-based Dating Matters Policy Tool.


This Guide and website are provided for informational purposes only. Note that certain restrictions apply to the use of CDC funds for impermissible lobbying. For more information concerning such restrictions see the CDC Anti-Lobbying Guidelines.