High Quality Programs for Youth and Families

As such, the outcomes shown in the research on the positive effects of the program may be compromised. So, what makes Penn State Extension unique in this program area? In the delivery of programs designed to increase youth resiliency, Penn State Extension assures two things:

• Only the most highly effective programs are being utilized
• The programs are delivered with high fidelity to the curriculum

In Lehigh County, Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP) is an example of how this happens. SFP has been scrutinized by researchers at Penn State Prevention Research Center. It has been shown by a plethora of studies to be highly effective in preventing negative youth behaviors such as drug, alcohol and tobacco use.

SFP is delivered by facilitators who have been trained intensively in the curriculum by certified instructors. The delivery of SFP is then overseen by Penn State Extension through on-going observation, feedback, and technical assistance to facilitators. Technical assistance, coaching, and sometimes additional training are provided as needed to ensure program quality.

This spring, SFP is being held in the Allentown School District at Raub, Harrison-Morton and South Mountain Middle Schools. Salisbury Middle School and Resurrected Life Community Church are also hosting a round of the program. These programs are supported through partnerships with Valley Youth House and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

The hallmark of prevention education delivered through Penn State Extension is the assurance that participants will receive a high quality program delivered in the way the developer intended in order to yield optimal results.