News

THE CLFC FAMILY REUNION NEWS

THE CREATING LASTING FAMILY CONNECTIONS QUARTERLY

NEWSLETTER

Volume II, Number 4 FALL EDITION NOVEMBER, 2007

SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) gives Creating Lasting Family Connections Nearly Perfect Dissemination Score

We are excited to announce that the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) has given the COPES, Inc model program Creating Lasting Family Connections a nearly perfect score – 3.9 out of 4.0 – for implementation materials. The program received an over-all score of 3.7 for Readiness for Dissemination. The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) is a searchable online registry of mental health and substance abuse interventions that have been reviewed and rated as effective for dissemination by independent scientific reviewers. The registry is a service of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The purpose of this registry is to assist the public in identifying approaches to preventing and treating mental and/or substance use disorders that have been scientifically tested as effective and that can be readily disseminated to the field. NREPP is one way that SAMHSA is working to improve access to information on tested interventions and thereby reduce the lag time between the creation of scientific knowledge and its practical application in the field. Communities throughout the country consult the registry when they are seeking an evidence-based program. Independent reviewers examine the program in several categories and give the program an overall rating.

In addition to the score for materials, CLFC received a 3.6 for “Training and Support” and a 3.7 for “Quality Assurance”. Quality of Research scores included 3.0 for “Use of Community Services,” 3.0 for “Parent Knowledge and Beliefs about Alcohol and Other Drugs,” 2.9 for “Onset of Youth AOD Use,” and 2.9 for “Frequency of Youth AOD Use.”

One of the original evidence-based programs to be selected by SAMSHA for its Model Programs Website and included on its first National Registry, COPES is proud to have Creating Lasting Family Connections re-evaluated at such a high level and to be included again among the best evidence-based programs rated by NREPP. We believe that our high scores are a result of the sound construction of the program based on scientifically proven approaches and practices, the quality of research done to establish Creating Lasting Family Connections as an evidence-based program, and finally our willingness to maintain the validity and relevance of the program as new information and research becomes available in the field. Program abstracts and ratings are available at www.nrepp.samhsa.gov.

COPES Releases its New Edition of Creating Lasting Family Connections

Every several years COPES reviews the CLFC program in order to make sure it includes the most recent science-based information and approaches. Further, based on the feedback and experiences of COPES’ certified implementation trainers and master trainers, we update the materials to help keep CLFC relevant and easier to implement. COPES now has available our 2007 edition of Creating Lasting Family Connections.

Information on prices and how to order the new edition materials is available at the COPES website, www.copes.org or by calling COPES at 502-583-6820.

Close out prices are also available on previous editions (printed materials only). Call COPES at 502-583-6820 for these discounted prices.

Request for Testimonials and Volunteers

COPES would be very grateful to any of you who have successfully used CLFC in your community, have found it effective, and would be willing to send us a testimonial describing your positive experience with this program. Also, we are wondering if you might be willing to volunteer to take calls or emails from people who are considering using CLFC in their communities. Please send testimonials to us via email at tstrader@sprynet.com or via “snail mail” to COPES, 845 Barret Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky 40204. If you are willing to take calls, please send us your phone number or e-mail address and provide us with written permission to release your contact information to those interested in implementing CLFC.

New Phone Number for Youth Crisis Hotline

Please note that the telephone number for the Youth Crisis Hotline, as printed on the back page of the Developing a Positive Response notebook, (800-448-4663) is no longer in service. Unfortunately, this number is printed in all editions including our recently updated 2007 edition. Since publication of our updated edition, the Youth Crisis Hotline number has changed. The correct number for the Youth Crisis Hotline is 1-800-442-4673. Please make a note for your records and, if you are facilitating a training, please ask participants to note the correct number in their notebooks. I want to thank Mark Bushong of Fort Worth, Texas for giving us the “head’s up” on this change.

CLFC Master Trainer Training Opportunity

COPES will be hosting a 5-Day Master Trainer Training in Kentucky during the week of December 17-21. The training will be held in Kentucky Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There are still several slots open for those who qualify.

To qualify for this Master Trainer Certification Course, it is important that each participant has prior experience in co-facilitating the Developing Positive Parental Influences adult module and either the youth or adult Getting Real module. The cost for this training is $2500. Your organization will also be responsible for travel and lodging expenses. A few partial scholarships may be available. RFN is accepting applications.

As you may remember from your CLFC Implementation Training, CLFC Master Trainers are eligible to train other professionals or volunteers from their current place of employment to implement the program. Further, Certified CLFC Master Trainers are eligible to receive paid contracts from Resilient Futures Network, LLC (RFN) to train others outside of their place of employment. All Certified CLFC Master Trainers are expected to coordinate all of their CLFC trainings through COPES’ office.

To register and/or to apply for scholarships, please contact Teresa or Ted Strader at (502) 583-6820 or tstrader@sprynet.com

COPES Completes First Year of Services to Reentry Clients

COPES recently completed its first year of direct services to reentry and recovery clients through three federally funded programs, the Connect-Immunity Project, the Jefferson County Fatherhood Initiative and the Jefferson County Healthy Marriage Initiative. Both the Connect-Immunity Project and the Fatherhood Initiative implemented the Creating Lasting Family Connections (CLFC) program with cohorts of reentering inmates and their families. Below we have included some of the preliminary results from the retrospective surveys participants took following each CLFC module. The Healthy Marriage Initiative began its first cohort of married couples in October and we are looking forward to collecting data from this cohort as it progresses. First year results from initial retrospective surveys show highly positive scores, increased learning of both skills and content, and a high level of bonding with the CLFC trainers. All three programs include 18 sessions of CLFC skill-building and content, a pre-, post- and follow-up survey design to collect evaluation data, and module-specific retrospective surveys following each module of the CLFC curriculum to measure targeted changes in participants’ beliefs, skills and behaviors.

The participants in both the Connect-Immunity Project and the Fatherhood Initiative are primarily males who are returning to our community having served time in prisons. Several were joined by their spouse or significant other as the program progressed. During their incarceration, participants voluntarily elected to participate in a six month treatment program for substance abuse while they lived in a therapeutic community facilitated by the prison. For these participants, CLFC is used as an aftercare program that supports their sobriety and successful reentry. The program promotes their efforts to reconnect with spouses, significant others and children through sincere and honest communication and to become better parents using positive parenting skills. We believe the skills taught in CLFC also provide excellent work-related skills as participants seek and find employment. The CLFC approach gives participants a useful way to view substance use, abuse and dependency and to examine their personal relationship with alcohol and drugs. Further, the program assists clients to be an active part of preventing substance use and abuse with their children. Spouses, significant others, and children ages 12 to 17 are invited and encouraged to attend. When they do, the program’s support of reconstructing separated families and relationships can be powerful. Rebuilding “lasting family connections” can prove to be an effective safeguard against returning to prison and against continuing harmful abuse of drugs and alcohol.

At the end of the first year of providing services we are seeing some exciting preliminary results. We are very excited about the results of the retrospective surveys from the first cohorts who have completed the 18-session program of the Connect-Immunity Project and the Jefferson County Fatherhood Initiative. Participants have greatly surpassed our expectations. Provided below is a summary of initial findings and illustrative highlights from the initial cohorts who completed the training program and took the retrospective surveys following each module of the Connect-Immunity Project and the Jefferson County Fatherhood Initiative.

Summary of Initial Findings

In general, over 90 % of respondents reported that their involvement in the training has been a positive experience, they feel better about themselves after participating in CLFC, they feel more supported by people outside of their family, and they would recommend the program to their friends. Respondents indicated they definitely know a lot more about alcoholism and chemical dependency following the training. These findings indicate that the respondents are being motivated to make positive, on-going changes in their lives. (Please note that only adults participated and, therefore, we have results for the CLFC adult modules: “Raising Resilient Youth,” “Developing Positive Parental Influences,” and “Getting Real”).

Raising Resilient Youth

Illustrative highlights regarding specific targeted outcomes:

During the Raising Resilient Youth module of Creating Lasting Family Connections, participants are taught how to include their family’s active participation in setting both expectations and consequences for a wide variety of important issues of interest or concern to a parent including alcohol and drugs. The majority of participants in the program responded that they are improving their ability to establish expectations and consequences for their family and are working to include their children in these processes. Increases on these survey items represent change in the desired direction. Here are the combined results for the Connect-Immunity Project and the Jefferson County Fatherhood Initiative for specific targeted outcomes:

* Over 95 % of the respondents reported that they now actively listen to their children's thoughts and feelings when discussing family concerns and issues.
* Over 95 % of the respondents reported that they are now “very likely” or “likely” to involve their child in helping to make the family rules on doing homework.
* Over 95 % of the respondents reported that they are now “very likely” or “likely” to involve their child in helping to make the family rules on curfews.
* Over 95 % of the respondents reported that they now listen to each other’s feelings when they have a disagreement with their child.
* Over 90% of the respondents indicate that they feel better about creating consequences in their family.
* Over 95% of the respondents report that they have improved in their skills in giving positive feedback which includes validating and affirming their children when they express their emotions or feelings.

Developing Positive Parental Influences

Illustrative highlights regarding specific targeted outcomes:

The “Developing Positive Parental Influences” training includes an examination of personal and group feelings and attitudes toward alcohol and drug issues, and an in-depth look at the dynamics of chemical dependency and its impact on families. The majority of survey respondents reported that their knowledge and understanding of alcohol and drug issues are improving. The following results show the percentage of increase in change respondents indicated they experienced from before taking the training to after participating in the program. Increases on these survey items represent change in the desired direction. These findings are combined from results from the Developing Positive Parental Influences Retrospective Survey taken during the Connect-Immunity Project and the Jefferson County Fatherhood Initiative.

· 54% more respondents “strongly agree” that someone who has repeated trouble with alcohol should have an assessment for alcoholism.

* 45% more respondents “strongly agree” that they have confidence in their ability to influence their own children regarding alcohol and drug related decisions.
* 45% more respondents “strongly agree” that they feel empowered to make positive changes for their family.
* 45% more respondents “strongly agree” that they have positive parental influence with their children.
* 89% of the respondents “strongly agree” or “agree” that their personal use of alcohol and/or drugs has gone down since they started CLFC.

Getting Real

Illustrative Highlights regarding specific targeted outcomes:

“Getting Real” training includes specific skill training and practice role playing sessions in verbal and non-verbal communication strategies, refusal skills, positive communication and relationship skills. The following findings pertain to using these skills in situations that respondents may find themselves. The majority of participants in the program responded that they would deal with the situations described in the survey items in an appropriate manner.

* Over 95% of the respondents reported that they are now more capable, confident, and prepared to say “no” and help their children say “no” following their involvement in the CLFC program.
* 100% of the respondents indicated that they would now say “no” to accepting alcohol / drugs.
* 100% of the respondents indicated that they would now say “no” to accepting a ride home from someone who is high.
* 97% of the respondents “agree” or “strongly agree” that they are now prepared to help their children say “no” when it is in their best interest.
* 84% of the respondents indicated that they would now say “no” to allowing their teenage children to stay out past their curfew following the program.

Respondents to the surveys indicated high satisfaction with the group leaders/facilitators, indicating that they were organized and prepared, managed the group well, and were dedicated and caring.

As you can see from the above results, the data indicates significant positive changes in both attitudes and thinking and, most importantly, skills and behavior. We believe that these positive changes will powerfully affect the lives of these participants and their families for years to come.