Creating Lasting Family Connections

Program Funding The Creating Lasting Family Connections program is funded by Title V and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Program History CLC was a program developed by the Council on Prevention and Education: Substances (COPES) in Louisville, KY.

Description Creating Lasting Family Connections is a comprehensive, family strengthening, substance abuse and violence prevention curriculum serving an intended population of high-risk children 9 to 17 years of age and their families.

Implementation Creating Lasting Family Connections is designed to be implemented in: – Churches – Schools – Recreation centers – Court-referred settings

Program Goals Increase community engagement by implementing a successful family recruitment strategy Improve parent knowledge and attitudes regarding drug issues, and improve their family management skills Increase the knowledge and use of community services, including treatment and rehabilitation services, among participating families when needed Improve the communication and refusal skills of participating youth Delay onset and reduce frequency of alcohol and drug use among participating youth.

Curriculum Youth – Refusal skills – Bonding with mother and father – Honest communication – Participation in family rule setting – Bonding with community – Social skills The CLFC curriculum is designed to increase the following resiliency factors :

Curriculum (cont.) Family – Appropriate parental substance use knowledge and beliefs – Appropriate parental substance using behavior – Family management skills – Bonding with youth – Involvement of youth in family rule setting

Research The CLFC program was evaluated rigorously using random assignment procedures, valid and reliable outcome measures, and multivariate analysis methods to uncover direct and conditional relationships between the program and outcomes.

Research (cont.) The program has been recognized as an effective science- based program by the following organizations: – Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration – Center for Substance Abuse Prevention – Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention – U.S. Department of Education – White House Office of National Drug Control Policy – International Youth Foundation

Program Success The program has been implemented in 40 states with a variety of populations, including Hispanic, Asian, and Native Americans. This program has been proven effective in urban, suburban, and rural communities, many of which have been multi- ethnic in composition

Recognition Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Model Program Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice: Model Program U.S. Department of Education: Promising Program White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: Special Recognition Award International Youth Foundation Youth–Net: Model Program, selected for worldwide replication

Contact Information Trish Brutus, Community Initiatives Coordinator 330 Fountain Street P.O. Box 1186 Lafayette, In Office Phone:

References 1. Department of Health Promotion and Education, Strengthening America's Families: Effective Family Programs for Prevention of Delinquency. Retrieved March 25, 2007, Web site: 2. COPES, "Creating Lasting Family Connections" Program for Youth & Family Strengthening. Retrieved March 25, 2007, Web site: 3. Creating Lasting Connections, Retrieved March 25, 2007, Web site: 4. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, The Global Youth Network. Retrieved March 25, 2007, Web site: tml 5. Interview with Trish Brutus on Feb 26, 2007.

Image References

Creators of Presentation Purdue University ENGL 420 Business Writing Class: – Meghan Peters – Kyle Gavin – Allison Seagren – Drew Lahrman – Instructor: Nancy Quinn PowerPoint produced April 12, 2007