A Community Member’s Perspective On CHAMP Angela Paulino, B.S. Mount Sinai School of Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicineand The Bronx Community Collaborative Board

Collaborative Approach is Absolutely Necessary to Overcome Challenges to HIV Prevention Within Inner-City Communities insufficient resources low levels of participation tensions and suspicions between consumers, providers and researchers

Collaboration is a Necessary Foundation Program of research based on core assumptions : Collaboration with consumers (youth, parents, providers, and communities) lead to services and prevention programs that potentially are: acceptable to consumersacceptable to consumers relevant to consumer’s context, specific needs and core valuesrelevant to consumer’s context, specific needs and core values potentially effective when…potentially effective when… implemented in “real world” settings by naturally existing providers and resources (sustainable)implemented in “real world” settings by naturally existing providers and resources (sustainable)

Addressing Youth Prevention and Mental Health Needs Through Collaboration Collaborative Principles Developing a set of shared, prevention focused goals Developing a set of shared, prevention focused goals Sharing decision making and power Sharing decision making and power Recognizing the skills and expertise associated with university training and consumer/community experience Recognizing the skills and expertise associated with university training and consumer/community experience Creating ongoing opportunities for communication Creating ongoing opportunities for communication Developing trust Developing trust

CHAMP Collaborative Board Membership includes parents, school staff, representatives from key community institutions Membership includes parents, school staff, representatives from key community institutions Twice monthly project oversight meetings Twice monthly project oversight meetings Committees – Curriculum, Implementation, Research, Finance, Welcome, Grant Writing, International HIV prevention, Leadership Development Committees – Curriculum, Implementation, Research, Finance, Welcome, Grant Writing, International HIV prevention, Leadership Development

)

Differences between CHAMP Chicago and CHAMP New York Chicago African Americans Only Chicago Slang Cartoons included in the program reflected Chicago communities New York Adapted for a Multicultural Community New York Slang We added an emphasis on STI’s Curriculum committee comprised mainly of community members Cartoons changed to reflect NYC community Translated into Spanish

Adapting CHAMP to New York #1 Community Collaborative Board members traveled to Chicago and met with the creators of the program. #2 A Curriculum Committee was created and it included Board members and collaborators from the university.  The curriculum was reviewed and parts of it were changed in order to fit more for the needs of the community in Bronx, NY. Role play dialogues, cartoons, and some of the activities were changed.  A pilot was conducted and a second review happened.  Also, Board members participated in, yet another pilot test to “see the program from the inside.”  Then the program was ready to be delivered in schools.

Cultural Adaptation of CHAMP  60% of the population in the Bronx is Hispanic. Challenges Challenges –Diversity of the Hispanic culture –Differences in the Spanish spoken from country to country. –Hispanic culture and taboos Solutions Solutions –Collaboration: The curriculum committee included members from different countries in Latin America. –Facilitators were trained on how to deliver sensitive information respecting cultural practices. –Hispanic facilitators delivered the program.

HOPE (Homeless Outreach for Parents and Early adolescents) To identify the specific prevention needs of early adolescent youth and their families living in homeless shelters To identify the specific prevention needs of early adolescent youth and their families living in homeless shelters To collaboratively develop, implement and examine rates of involvement and impact of a family-based HIV and drug abuse prevention program, the HOPE Family Program. To collaboratively develop, implement and examine rates of involvement and impact of a family-based HIV and drug abuse prevention program, the HOPE Family Program. Did you know that nearly half of the 32,000 people who slept in NYC shelters last night were children?

Program Content Informed by Youth & Adult Caregivers with Experiences of Homelessness Homelessness disrupts naturally existing family supports Homelessness disrupts naturally existing family supports Stigma Stigma Violence exposure during previous housing experiences and within shelter environment Violence exposure during previous housing experiences and within shelter environment Parental leadership and authority undermined within shelter; parenting under intense scrutiny Parental leadership and authority undermined within shelter; parenting under intense scrutiny Parental concerns about negative impact on children Parental concerns about negative impact on children

HOPE After a pilot of CHAMP in a family homeless shelter, the Board realized that CHAMP did not meet all the prevention needs of homeless families. After a pilot of CHAMP in a family homeless shelter, the Board realized that CHAMP did not meet all the prevention needs of homeless families. The Curriculum Committee drew upon two other evidence based interventions and merged some of the components with CHAMP. The Curriculum Committee drew upon two other evidence based interventions and merged some of the components with CHAMP. The SISTA Program The SISTA Program Strengthening Families Program Strengthening Families Program Then the Board created partnerships with homeless shelters, agencies that serve the homeless population. Then the Board created partnerships with homeless shelters, agencies that serve the homeless population. Collaboration made it possible for HOPE to be delivered to families in need. Collaboration made it possible for HOPE to be delivered to families in need.

Collaboration made it possible for CHAMP to move across geography, culture & to meet pressing community needs