Abstract
This paper describes the strategic efforts of six National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPC), funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to work in partnership with local communities to create comprehensive evidence-based program packages to prevent youth violence. Key components of a comprehensive evidence-based approach are defined and examples are provided from a variety of community settings (rural and urban) across the nation that illustrate attempts to respond to the unique needs of the communities while maintaining a focus on evidence-based programming and practices. At each YVPC site, the process of selecting prevention and intervention programs addressed the following factors: (1) community capacity, (2) researcher and community roles in selecting programs, (3) use of data in decision-making related to program selection, and (4) reach, resources, and dosage. We describe systemic barriers to these efforts, lessons learned, and opportunities for policy and practice. Although adopting an evidence-based comprehensive approach requires significant upfront resources and investment, it offers great potential for preventing youth violence and promoting the successful development of children, families and communities.
Highlights
IntroductionPreventing and reducing the risk for youth violence remains a significant challenge for communities across the country
This paper describes the strategic efforts of six National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPC), funded by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to work in partnership with local communities to create comprehensive evidence-based program packages to prevent youth violence
This paper describes the strategic efforts of six National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPC) to select and integrate comprehensive evidence-based program packages to prevent youth violence in their respective communities
Summary
Preventing and reducing the risk for youth violence remains a significant challenge for communities across the country. School and community partners worked with researchers to develop a youth violence prevention plan that expanded existing programs (Cease Fire), addressed the need for family interventions, and to create a package of programs that included universal prevention programs and selective programs targeting youth at high risk. Using data driven approaches and theory to guide the selection process, the YVPCs selected a combination of prevention and intervention programs that had the broadest range and scope based on available resources to address the risk and protective factors for youth violence within a specific community (Domitrovich et al, 2010) This involved the prioritization of community needs and in some cases the ability to leverage or build upon existing programs and capacity in determining the final package of prevention programs. The final packages were a comprehensive mix of programs that balanced evidence of effectiveness that the researchers advocated for and programs requested by community partners tailored to meet each community’s specific needs
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