Explore CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration

 Recommended Process for Reviewing, Selecting and Implementing the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration

The following narrative describes the process before, during and after implementation of the Creating Lasting Family Connections® (CLFC)Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration, including information on evaluation support and technical assistance.

Before Implementation

Interested persons are encouraged to explore the information on materials and training for the Creating Lasting Family Connections® (CLFC) Fatherhood Program previously located on the SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) website (www.nrepp.samhsa.gov), the COPES, Inc. website (www.copes.org) and on the RFN website (www.myresilientfuturesnetwork.com). Next, interested persons contact the CLFC Program Developer or National Training Director using the contact information below to further explore the CLFC Fatherhood Program and related implementation training and materials.

During this exploratory call, the CLFC Fatherhood Program Developer or National Training Director facilitates a series of screening questions designed to help the interested party discover the appropriateness of the CLFC Fatherhood Program in the context of the agency’s intended work. The following checklist outlines the major topical areas to be reviewed:

• Administrator awareness, investment and institutional support
• Appropriateness of systemic interface (i.e. congruent philosophy and/or mission, feasible access to serving recruited groups of 8 to 20 participants in a closed group training design)
• Logistical capability (i.e., There is a clean, safe meeting room large enough to comfortably accommodate 15 to 20 adult male participants plus two facilitators and all necessary training materials for up to 18 two-hour training sessions, etc.)
• Budgetary capability (i.e., resources available to purchase all required materials and training, support staff, etc)
• Cultural fit for intended population served or to be served (i.e., fathers who may be in recovery for substance abuse, incarcerated or reentering the community after a period of incarceration, military service or any other form of physical or emotional separation.)
• Established domestic violence and child maltreatment policies and procedures
• Awareness and understanding of confidentiality and HIPPA rules and regulations
• Management staff and facilitators committed to fidelity implementation of the program
• Management staff and facilitators interested in developer-involved adaptation of program
• Prior experience using evidence-based interventions
• Qualified implementers (i.e. caring, outgoing, nonjudgmental attitude, accepting, tolerant of differing viewpoints, public speaking experience, group facilitation experience, empathy, willingness to strive for influence vs. control, willing to use the “buffet or take what you want, leave the rest” approach to facilitation, supports differing learning styles, culturally sensitive, approachable, knowledge of substance abuse and family dynamics, knowledge of local service providers and capable of making appropriate referrals)
• Motivated implementers
• Openness and ability to maintain ongoing communications/interactions with CLFCFatherhoodProgram Developer and/or National Training Director

If both the interested party and the CLFC Program Developer or National Training Director perceive the CLFC Fatherhood Program to be an appropriate fit, then the next step is conducting a thorough review of the program materials.

Conduct Review of Required and Optional Implementation Materials

It is strongly recommended that those interested in implementing the CLFC Fatherhood Program review all required and all optional materials prior to attending the required CLFC Fatherhood Program Implementation Training.

Required materials include: (1) Three trainer manuals for the three separate original CLFC modules (Developing Positive Parental Influences, Raising Resilient Youth and Getting Real); (2) A set of 25 participant notebooks for each of the three modules; (3) A poster set for each of the three required modules; (4) The CLFC Fatherhood Program: Adaptation Guidebook; (5) A copy of the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Case Management services and “Optional” Joint Intervention Meeting (JIM) Guide;  (6) A copy of the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Fidelity Package; and (7) The CLFC Fatherhood Program: Retrospective Survey Kit for process evaluation and quality improvement.

Optional, but strongly recommended, materials include: (1) The ABC 3(D) Approach to HIV, Hepatitis and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention Trainer Manual; (2) A set of 25 notebooks for The ABC 3(D) Approach to HIV, Hepatitis and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention module; (3) A copy of the CLFC Secrets to Successful Facilitation book; and (4) The CLFC Fatherhood Program: Survey Kit for Outcome Evaluation.

Interested parties have the option to order and review a complete CLFC Fatherhood Program package (containing all required and optional materials outlined above) for up to 30 days. The complete package can be returned within 30 days for a full refund. Materials returned within 30 days that are received by RFN, LLC in what they find in their sole discretion to be in “New”, resalable condition may be credited back to the purchaser’s account (Please note: opening a poster set disqualifies the purchaser from receiving a full refund).

CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration Implementation Training

Next, interested persons attend and complete the required 6-9 day CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration Implementation Training. Please note that the 6-day version is for those who are already certified to implement the Original CLFC Program. The training is designed to be highly interactive with multiple opportunities for hands-on practice of exercises and activities outlined in the CLFC Fatherhood Program. Attendees will be asked to demonstrate key implementation skills such as: comprehension of CLFC Fatherhood Program content and philosophy, integration of knowledge and skills, effective communication of content to others and effective facilitator techniques (i.e. leading group discussions and brainstorms, handling challenging participants, etc). During the training, both the trainers and trainees will examine the characteristics of an effective CLFC facilitator (i.e. caring, outgoing, nonjudgmental attitude, accepting, tolerant of differing viewpoints, empathy, willingness to strive for influence vs. control, culturally sensitive, approachable, etc.). Anyone receiving our standard CLFCFatherhood Program: Family Reintegration Implementation Training course (exposure to 90% or more of the training content and who also demonstrates integration of knowledge and skills) receives CLFCFatherhood Program Implementation Trainer Certification and up to ten hours (agency total) of technical assistance (by telephone) with implementation issues for up to one year. Additional consultation is available for an additional cost. Please see the “CLFC Certification Training” section of the COPES website or contact the CLFC Program Developer or National Training Director for more details about trainings for the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration.

During Implementation

Next, Certified CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration Implementation Trainers recruit participants and implement the program in their local communities. Prior to the each session of the CLFC Fatherhood Program, trainers use the trainer manuals, notebooks and CLFC Fatherhood Program: Fidelity Package to create a detailed plan of presenting session material with fidelity. The following diagram and brief descriptions provide an overview of the major components of the CLFC Fatherhood Program:

Raising Resilient Youth. This CLFC training component helps participants in raising youth who can withstand life challenges and social and environmental pressures. In this module, participants learn and practice effective communication skills with their families, including listening to and validating others’ thoughts and feelings and successfully managing personal thoughts and feelings. Participants also examine and enhance their ability to develop and implement expectations and consequences with others, including spouses, coworkers, friends, and children. Participants learn to include children’s active participation in setting family expectations and consequences. This encourages dialogue, which enhances a sense of competence, connectedness, and bonding between parent and child. (MORE)

Getting Real. This CLFC training component encourages participants to examine their responses to the verbal and nonverbal communication they experience in their interactions with others. Participants receive personalized coaching on effective communication skills, including speaking with confidence and sensitivity, listening to and validating others, sharing feelings, and matching body language with verbal messages. This module promotes the skills of self-awareness and mutual respect while focusing on helping participants combine thoughts, feelings, and behavior in a way that leads them to generate powerful and meaningful messages to others. (MORE)

The ABC 3(D) Approach to HIV, Hepatitis and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention. This optional CLFC training component describes the primary modes of transmission of HIV, viral hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted diseases. The module concludes with a discussion of effective preventive measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of infection. Healthy sexual expression is recognized, discussed, and supported. During this component, participants may also be offered free, confidential, on-site HIV testing. (MORE)

Developing Positive Parental Influences. This CLFC training component helps participants develop a greater awareness of facts and feelings about substance use, abuse, and dependency; review effective approaches to prevention; and develop a practical understanding of intervention, referral procedures, and treatment options. This module includes an examination of personal and group feelings and attitudes toward alcohol and drug issues, as well as an in-depth look at the dynamics of chemical dependency and its impact on marriages and families. (MORE)

Family Case Management and Joint Intervention Meetings (JIM). CLFC works best in the context of caring, culturally sensitive and collaborative case management services. While some form of case management services is a required core component of CLFC, optional Joint Intervention Meetings involve a specialized way of providing case management by encouraging, supporting and setting up accountability partners for participants in early periods of recovery or reentry while the risks for behavioral slippage are typically high. (MORE)

During the CLFC Implementation Training, trainers are strongly encouraged to also use the optional CLFC Fatherhood Program: Adaptation Guidebook and CLFC Secrets to Successful Facilitation book as supplementary resources for planning. The “guidebook” provides facilitators with adaptations and suggested scripts, stories, anecdotes, examples, illustrations, etc. of the CLFC Fatherhood Program content. The CLFC Secrets to Successful Facilitation book covers a wide range of topics including room selection and set up, the multiple facilitator roles and responsibilities, group dynamics, crafting culturally sensitive anecdotes and illustrations, effective responses to challenging or inappropriate participant interactions and situations, and more!

Trainers may also choose to use the optional CLFC Fatherhood Program DVD’s for pre-implementation preparation (video demonstration by CLFC Program Developer) or during implementation of select exercises to diversify presentation of program material.

During the actual sessions, trainers use the CLFC Fatherhood Program manuals, notebooks and posters associated with each module. (Please note that the optional ABC 3(D) Approach to HIV, Hepatitis and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention module does not include a set of posters). Trainers may also refer to the optional CLFC Fatherhood Program: Adaptation Guidebook for supplemental guidance during program sessions.

After each program session, trainers use the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Fidelity Package to track and maintain fidelity implementation. Management staff can also use information and forms found in the Fidelity Package to document services and to supervise line staff. Since referral capability and/or case management is an important component of the CLFC Fatherhood Program, trainers use the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Case Management Services and “Optional” Joint Intervention Meeting (JIM) Guide to understand how to assess and link participants to additional support services in the community.

After Implementation

After successful implementation of the CLFC Fatherhood Program, verified by results from the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Survey Kit for Outcome Evaluation and/or the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Retrospective Survey Kit, certified CLFC trainers become eligible for CLFC Fatherhood Program: Family Reintegration Master Trainer Certification. Master Trainer Certification is an 8-day course that enables certified trainers to train other professionals or volunteers within their own organization to implement the CLFCFatherhood Program. For more information, interested persons are encouraged to see the “CLFC Certification Training” section of the COPES website and/or to call the CLFC Program Developer or National Training Director.

Evaluation

Administrators and/or trainers may use the CLFC Fatherhood Program: Survey Kit for Outcome Evaluation and CLFC Fatherhood Program: Retrospective Survey Kit prior to, during and/or after the implementation to collect data for researching the effectiveness of implementation and for continuous quality improvement. Guidelines for managing the surveys are included in the kits. Technical assistance for evaluation may be provided by COPES, Inc., Resilient Futures Network, LLC or the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. For more information and a cost estimate of available services, interested persons contact Ted N. Strader, CLFC Fatherhood Program Developer, at (502) 583-6820 or by email at tstrader@sprynet.com, or contact David Collins, PhD at (502) 634-3694 or by email at Collins@pire.org.

Technical Assistance and Consultation

Individuals and/or agencies who purchase the CLFC Fatherhood Program Implementation Training automatically receive up to 10 hours of technical assistance by phone for implementation issues over the course of up to 1 year. Additional consultation is available at an additional cost.