As a part of my graduate program coursework, I have had the opportunity to create a grant proposal addressing adverse childhood experiences with youth through the 4-H Youth Development Program. Below I have supplied my abstract, along with the public health framework, levels of the social ecological model and the trauma-informed principles that program will address. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Abstract
In the State of Florida, over 51% of children birth through age seventeen have reported to have experienced one or more ACE with 25.3% experiencing two or more (America’s Health Rankings, 2019). In Osceola County, 17.8% of the population lives below the poverty line, with many of these being youth (CDC, 2020). Approximately 1,216 families with children live in transition housing, such as hotels, because this is all they can afford (Education Foundation of Osceola County, 2020). To combat these challenges and to prevent and create resilience against Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Osceola County 4-H will offer a 4-H mentoring program for youth. The 4-H mentoring program will pair trained, caring adults (mentors) with youth (mentees) in group style mentoring, while focusing on life-skill development and social-emotional skills. Mentors and mentees will meet once a week in group style mentoring sessions, while implementing hands-on activities. By introducing a 4-H mentoring program, youth will develop skills to prevent and create resilience against ACEs.
Public Health Framework
This program targets the prevention of the potentially negative impacts of ACEs using a public health framework. Based on the Cross-Sector Public Health Approach for Addressing ACEs (Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, n.d.), this program will function at the secondary prevention level. This level addresses the secondary prevention level of targeting at-risk populations. Program participants are deemed at-risk because of the prevalence of individual, family and community risk factors. Individual, family and community risk factors include poverty, caregiving challenges, drug use and abuse, low levels of education, high rates of violence, unstable housing (CDC, 2021).
According to the Trauma-Informed Philanthropy Volume 1, a public health approach is important, but a change in health outcomes may take several years to see. Therefore, it is important for public health to look to social, behavioral, economic and educational outcomes which can impact health. This project targets social, behavioral and educational outcomes by providing access to the development of protective factors (CDC, 2021).
Level(s) of Social Ecological Model
This project will address the interpersonal, intrapersonal and the organizational levels of the McLeroy et. al. (1988) Social Ecological Model. The focus of the project is to change/address individual behavior (interpersonal) by affecting the direct social environment of the youth. In this program youth participants will gain knowledge, change attitudes and learn skills to grow individual protective factors that will promote resilience and combat trauma at an interpersonal level. This will be done through project work, peer relationship development and youth-adult partnerships.
In order to have a greater impact on the individual and the environment of the individual, the interpersonal and organizational levels will also be addressed. Both levels are addressed through building relationships with family and other key individuals that play a role in the youth’s life. Volunteers and staff will implement programs that address student needs around managing stress and nurturing relationships by providing individual and family-based activities. This allows the youth to learn and share this information with those that surround them. In addition, family nights will be conducted to help build and nurture relationships between program staff, volunteers, parents and youth to impact the program and home environment.
Trauma-Informed Principles
Due to the high prevalence of trauma in the lives of youth, this program will use a trauma-informed approach as guided by SAMHSA’s six key principles (CDC, 2020): safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration, empowerment and choice, cultural, historical and gender issues, in order to have the greatest impact.
Safety will be developed into the program by providing a safe physical and psychological environment for youth. This will be done through training staff and volunteers about what safety looks like and how it can be incorporated into a program, screening volunteers, educating about risk management for programming, and training staff on youth development to understand what age appropriate is. Safety will also be based on youth needs. This will be done by providing food, slow introductions to new people, and healthy youth-adult partnerships.
In addition to safety, trustworthiness and transparency, and collaboration will be built by providing families with a clear description of the program that covers expectations, descriptions of project work, objectives of the program, etc. As the program develops and adapts through implementation, families and youth participants will be informed and have a voice and choice in program adaptation.
Peer support will be incorporated in a few ways. Experiences will be provided for youth and families to interact in a safe environment. This allows youth to process trauma with key family members and caregivers. Additionally, youth with be partnered with mentors who have experienced similar trauma to what the youth could be facing. This helps youth see and know that there is hope and that they can survive what they are experiencing. It allows them to see themselves as healthy grown adults.
Overall, the program will address cultural, historical and gender issues by providing programming, policies and processes that are responsive to needs. A needs assessment will be conducted with potential program participants and families before the program starts.
References
About Us. Education Foundation of Osceola County. Retrieved June 7, 2020, from
https://www.foundationosceola....bout-us#.Xt2012hKg2w
America’s Health Rankings (2019). Retrieved from https://www.americashealthrankings
.org/explore/health-of-women-and-children/measure/ACEs/state/FL
Center for Disease Control (2020, April 3). Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Retrieved June 4, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/
childabuseandneglect/aces/fastfact.html
McLeroy K. et. al. (1988). An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health
Educ Q. 1988 Winter;15(4):351-77. doi: 10.1177/109019818801500401. PMID:
3068205.
Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation,
and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (n.d.) Trauma-
Informed Philanthropy.
SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (pg. 9-17)
Zimmerman, M. A. (2014). Resiliency theory: A strengths-based approach to research and
practice for adolescent health. Health Education & Behavior, 40(4), 381–383.
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