Prevention

Strengthening Families

The Strengthening Families Program involves not just parents or children alone, but the whole family. It was developed specifically as a selective prevention strategy for 6 to 12 year old high-risk children of substance-abusing parents. In multiple replications with diverse ethnic groups in universal settings (schools, churches, neighborhoods), it has been found effective in reducing risk factors and increasing protective and resilience factors.

The most immediate results are improvements in children’ s pro-social behaviors, mental status, and grades combined with reductions in aggression, violent behaviors, and substance use. Longitudinal follow-ups find reductions in alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs after up to five years.