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Creating Lasting Family Connections

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Creating Lasting Family Connections (CLFC) is a comprehensive family strengthening program to prevent substance abuse and violence. The curriculum helps families in high-risk environments become strong, healthy, and supportive. CLFC programming is implemented through a community system (churches, schools, recreation centers, court-referred settings) that provides significant contact with parents and youths, has existing social outreach programs, and is linked with other human service providers. The program begins with community and school mobilization, followed by parent and youth training. Parents are educated about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) abuse, and learn family management and communication skills, role modeling, and the use of community services as needed. Youth trainings teach communication and refusal skills and encourage bonding with family. CLFC also provides early intervention and case management services to families in the program.

Goal / Mission

The goal of this program is to reduce drug and alcohol use among teenagers.

Impact

Evaluations found significant increases in knowledge and healthy beliefs about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse by parents. Youth in the program significantly increased their use of community services and delayed onset of ATOD use. Families participating in the program significantly increased youth involvement in setting and following family ATOD rules.

Results / Accomplishments

An evaluation performed at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups found significant increases in knowledge and healthy beliefs about ATOD by parents (p<0.001). Families participating in the program significantly increased youth involvement in setting and following family ATOD rules (p<0.001). Families in the intervention increased bonding and communication between children and parents (p<0.10). Youth in the program significantly increased their use of community services (p<0.001). Participation in the program significantly delayed onset of ATOD use by youth (p<0.04) and reduced ATOD use by youth (p<0.10).

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Council on Prevention and Education: Substances, Inc. (COPES, Inc.)
Primary Contact
COPES, Inc.
845 Barret Avenue
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 583-6820
tstrader@sprynet.com
http://www.copes.org
Topics
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Health / Adolescent Health
Organization(s)
Council on Prevention and Education: Substances, Inc. (COPES, Inc.)
Source
SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP)
Date of publication
Nov 2000
Date of implementation
1989
For more details
http://copes.org/the-original-clfc-program/
https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/creating-lasting-f...
Target Audience
Teens

Related Promising Practices

  1. Behavioral Couples Therapy for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (BCT)
  2. Families in Action
  3. Project Towards No Drug Abuse
  4. Too Good for Drugs

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Related Content for: Creating Lasting Family Connections

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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