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Teen Outreach Program: Palm Beach

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

The Teen Outreach Program (TOP) is a developmental intervention that attempts to help teens understand and evaluate their life options. The program is designed to prevent problematic behaviors in adolescents. TOP helps teens build a foundation of healthy behaviors, life skills and a sense of purpose through a four-level curriculum designed to match each developmental stage from 6th through 12th grade. It is based on the notion that (1) a heightened awareness of life options, (2) increased knowledge of those options and how to effectively pursue them, and (3) enhanced and diverse experiences with various life options will lead to a variety of positive outcomes, primarily scholastic success as measured by reduced course failure and suspension rates and a decrease in pregnancy rates. Based on the principles of youth development, and the social emotional well-being and mental health of teens, TOP provides teens with the necessary supports and opportunities to prepare for successful adulthood and avoid problem behavior. This program is locally funded by Children Services Council of Palm Beach County.

Goal / Mission

To enable teens from disadvantaged circumstances to develop healthy behaviors, life skills, and a sense of purpose in order to prevent problem behaviors.

Impact

This program equips teens to better develop healthy behaviors and relationships,
develop life and leadership skills, and achieve educational
success.

Results / Accomplishments

In operation since 1976, TOP has approximately 400 program locations across the United States, the Virgin Islands, and the United Kingdom, reaching more than an estimated 22,800 youth. According to a national study conducted in 2001, teens that participate in the TOP are at 52% lower risk of school suspension (p<.001), 60% lower risk of course failure (p<.001), and 53% lower risk of pregnancy (p<.001).

The Primary Project has received numerous awards and recognitions, including being designated a "Promising Prevention Program" by the U.S. Department of Education's Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools Expert Panel, being recognized as one of five exemplary prevention programs in the nation in "Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (December 1999)", National Mental Health Association's Lela Rowland Award for Outstanding Prevention Programs (1989), and being validated through New York State's Education Department as a successful program.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Children Services Council Palm Beach County
Primary Contact
Wynsome McLean
Children Services Council Palm Beach County
2300 High Ridge Road
Boynton Beach FL 33426
561-841-3500 ext. 2261
wmclean@cp-cto.org
http://cscpbc.org/
Topics
Health
Education
Community / Social Environment
Organization(s)
Children Services Council Palm Beach County
Date of publication
2001
Date of implementation
2011
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Boyton Beach, Florida/Palm Beach County, Florida
For more details
http://teenoutreachprogram.com/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC177302...
Target Audience
Teens
Submitted By
Children Services Council Palm Beach County

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.
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