High Risk Behaviors Among Teens

Substance abuse

Sexual behavior

Violence

Depression

School failure

High risk behaviors start earlier than ever

Plenty of individual attention

Heavy emphasis on parental involvement

Services for parents

Health centers and family resource rooms

After-school activities

Cultural and community activities

What works in delinquency prevention

Individual level:

Early intervention with children, parents

Train parents, home visits

Train youth in problem-solving skills

Curriculum that is relevant

Academic booster sessions

Involve youth in program planning

What works--

Community/neighborhood level

Holistic programs

Mix of programs

One-stop integrated approach

Intensive interventions

Community sites for after school

Train police in outreach

Prevention of substance abuse

Parent and teacher training

Involve parents in prevention

Train and supervise mentors

Social skills training

Replicate evaluated curricula

Shift toward general competency and high-risk behaviors

At the community level...

Add community interventions to school programs

Change school and community climate regarding the acceptability of substance use

Reduce access to cigarettes and alcohol

Prevention of teen pregnancy

Increased social skills training

Follow model curricula

Insure effectiveness of classroom programs

Group counseling

Family planning

Reproductive health care

Success factors at the individual level

Early intervention

One-on-one attention

Developmentally appropriate

Youth empowerment

Success factors at the family level

Parental involvement

Reaching across generations

Success factors at the school level

Educational achievement

Effective principals

School-based//On-site facilitators

Social skills//Group counseling

Community service

Success factors at the community level

Location in the community

Community outreach

Cultural responsiveness

Safe havens

Multi-agency multi-component

How can parents assure safe passage?

Authoritative parenting

Engagement

Single parents can succeed

Consistency

Role models

Responsibility at home

Help youth find jobs

Help with schoolwork

Cultural surroundings

Involvement in social issues

Recognize sometimes parents are not enough!

Effective components to safe passage programs:

Individual

Early intervention Preschool and home visits Attachment to a parent Listening to the voices of youth

Family components...

Training in parenting Responding to family needs Parent support Intergenerational involvement

School...

Acquisition of cognitive skills High expectations of all students Teachers trained in discipline Social skills/competency training Group counseling Community service component

Community...

Community location Outreach with indigenous workers Community police, safe havens Incentive and entrepreneurial approaches Work force experience

Comprehensive interventions

Multi-component; multi-agency

One-stop health and social services

Intense and sustained media backup

Changing/enforcing policies