Description
Latinos are expected to reach one quarter of the U.S population by the year 2050, and youth are at equal risk for negative behavioral health outcomes such as substance use, including alcoholism and risky sexual behaviors. Latino immigrants also experience health inequities that are heightened over time and across generations. For example, although Latino immigrants report lower rates of binge drinking, intimate partner violence (IPV), risky sexual behaviors, and depression than both their non-Latino and US-born counterparts, they report declines in health, including mental health, the longer they live in the US. The rates of substance use among the Latino population (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2018) places them at a greater risk for engaging in unsafe sexual practices linked to Human Immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and sexually transmitted infections.
The training track Familia Adelante: Multi-risk Reduction Behavioral Health Prevention for Latino/Hispanic Youth and Families (FA) will provide intensive training on the use of this multi-risk prevention program. Familia Adelante addresses the impact of social and family stress, particularly acculturative stress, on youth and families, and equips Latino-serving organizations to implement the program. Evaluation studies have shown that this psychoeducational curriculum helps Latino families prevent and manage negative behavioral outcomes associated with acculturation stress. The curriculum educates high-risk Latino youth, ages 10-14, and their parents in family and peer communication, substance misuse prevention, HIV knowledge and awareness, perceptions of harm about high- risk behavior, and positive school engagement and behavior. Familia Adelante is offered as a12-session in-person curriculum, or an 8-session virtual online curriculum. This family-focused drug prevention approach recruits youth who have early signs of either behavioral or emotional problems. The FA intervention is administered to youth and parents concurrently, but separately in a group format. A new Familia Adelante—Virtual program has been adapted to meet the needs of families who are unable to attend face-to-face group sessions.
Who can participate?
Organizations may propose a team of three to five members. Strong preference will be given to Latino/Hispanic-serving organizations that include an organizational leader (e.g., supervisor, clinical director), consumer peer advocate(s), bilingual paraprofessionals, including Promotoras, and/or bilingual clinicians working with a behavioral health team. Organizations will be expected to directly implement the program. Participants should have at least two years of experience providing some form of family, youth, social or behavioral health services. Knowledge of Evidence Based Programs/Practices among team members is also preferred.
Questions to consider before applying for Familia Adelante
- In my organization, is there a need to augment services for high-risk Latino youth (those with early signs of behavioral or emotional issues or risky behaviors)?
- Does my organization coordinate with middle school age youth 10-14 or other youth serving organizations?
- Can my organization commit staff and other resources to implement this 12-week in-person or 8-week virtual online curriculum-based model?
- Can this program be sustained by the organization? Does my organization have a relationship with a potential funder for FA? Please refer to the readiness checklist below for more details on sustaining the program.
- Does my organization have the information technology (IT) capacity to be trained virtually, and can my organization offer the online, Familia Adelante—Virtual program to youth and parents?
Are you ready to implement the Familia Adelante program?
Prior to filling out the application, please review the Implementation Readiness Checklist (pdf) to learn more about what is required to implement this program.
What is required of participants?
Recognizing that it takes more than a 3-day virtual intensive training to implement new programs, SAMHSA requests that participating NNED member teams commit to the full NNEDLearn 2023 training model which includes Prepare; Learn; Implement
Due to the NNEDLearn 2023 training being fully virtual, accepted applicants must have access to a stable internet connection to participate in the NNEDLearn 2023 Familia Adelante training.
Objectives and expectations for each NNEDLearn stage for FA are as follows:
Prepare
The first stage of NNEDLearn involves preparing the NNED member team for the Learn stage (virtual training), and requires that team members:
- Participate in two pre-meeting webinars (dates listed below).
- Complete assignments as requested by trainer, such as a readiness checklist and pre-meeting training content material.
Learn
From April 25-27, 2023, teams will attend a 3-day virtual intensive training via Zoom.
Participants will learn:
- The risk and protective factors in the Latino community that are related to substance use and other behavioral problems.
- The underlying stress theory and research that is the basis for FA.
- How to implement the FA 12-week youth and parent curricula.
- How to implement the FA-Virtual program for youth and parents who are unable to attend face-to-face group sessions.
- How to develop a plan for site-specific FA implementation, supervision, fidelity monitoring, and outcome evaluation.
Implement
After the Learn stage (virtual training), all FA teams will receive ongoing coaching to help support uptake of the practice. Team members will:
- Participate in four 1-hour group coaching sessions with the trainer (dates listed below).
- Participate regularly in the online discussion forum.
- Complete implementation reporting assignments.
Digital Story
All teams will also be asked to complete a digital story/video documenting their team’s NNEDLearn experience, community need, and the implementation of the best practice. Please see the 2023 Digital Story (pdf) for additional information which contains important information on developing a digital story.
Sustain
NNEDLearn teams are expected to pursue efforts to sustain the practice and to demonstrate outcome and impact as appropriate. Teams will have the opportunity to:
- Continue involvement with the NNED and maintain connections with other community-based organizations working with FA.
Trainer
Richard Cervantes, PhD, Director, Behavioral Assessment, Inc.
Co-trainer: Adriana Avila-Dibello, ICPS, CHW, AAMA Houston
Important Dates
Prepare Webinar One:
- March 21, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET OR
- March 21, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET
Prepare Webinar Two:
- March 30, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
Learn Stage (Virtual Training):
- Tuesday – Thursday, April 25 – 27, 2023 (via Zoom)
Implement Coaching Sessions: Four 1-hour coaching sessions:
- May 25, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
- June 15, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
- July 11, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
- August 10, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
The application period for NNEDLearn 2023 is now closed.
Thank you to all who applied. If you have any questions, please email NNEDLearn@nnedlearn.net.
Contact
Email NNEDLearn@nnedlearn.net for any questions related to NNEDLearn 2023.