Topic: Behavioral Problems, Parenting, Child Abuse, Emotional Competency, Safety
Target Population: Families
Sector: Community-Based
This program is for families with children who are birth to 17 years old and are experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges such as mental illness, poor behavior in school, or an inability to cope with family conflict or a dysfunctional environment.
Families First, an adaptation of the Teaching Family Model*, is a community-based, intensive home-visiting program that is designed to strengthen parenting skills, promote child safety and permanency, teach families skills that will foster long-term positive changes, and enhance family functioning and relationships.
*Please see separate fact sheet.
Results from a 3-month follow-up of one randomized trial demonstrated significant improvements in the treatment group for concrete services/physical care and resources and child behavior problems compared to the control group. There was a significant difference between groups at posttest in parent effectiveness/parent-child relationships; however, this difference was no longer significant at the 3-month follow-up. Results from a quasi-experimental study indicated that youth in the Families First group had a significantly lower recidivism rate, than a risk-adjusted juvenile court comparison group, based on 12-month follow-up data of new misdemeanor or felony charges. In addition, youth in the Families First group experienced significant reductions in self-reported rebelliousness, attitudes favorable to antisocial behavior, and attitudes favorable to drug use and experienced significant increases in the belief in moral order.
Families First intends to teach parents skills they can use to discipline their children, change or manage unwanted or negative behaviors in their children, and strengthen family functioning. The program targets individual risk factors for youth; risk factors found in the home environment, such as parental relationships, supervision, and discipline; and risk factors found in the social environment, including peer relationships, community involvement, and other relationships. A Families First specialist conducts home visits with families that focus on teaching parents and families the following:
The Families First specialist teaches parents and families using reinforcement, modeling, and role-playing. The specialist is available on-call, 24 hours a day, to help families for up to 1 year after program completion. There is also a Parent Leadership Committee, which includes parents who have successfully completed the program and have volunteered their time to provide feedback to and serve as resources for other parents.
Families First has been implemented since 1994. The program provides services to individuals in every county in Utah and reaches 500 families and more than 2,000 individuals each year.
This program is delivered by Families First specialists who must possess a bachelor's or master's degree in a field such as social work or counseling. Training is required and consists of 13 hours of virtual training and 28 hours of in-person training in Utah. A detailed training manual is also available for all program staff. Please use details in the Contact section to learn more.
Considerations for implementing this program include recruiting suitable facilitators and ensuring they receive training; obtaining referrals for families from schools, therapists, juvenile courts, church leaders, state agencies, insurance companies, and community organizations; acquiring family buy-in; finding a mutually convenient time for families and facilitators to conduct home visits; and ensuring the program is implemented with fidelity.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing Families First, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
The Families First specialist is in the family’s home for 6 to 10 hours per week, for 8 to 12 weeks. After the in-home visits have been completed, a family can choose to have the specialist continue working with them in a supporting role in which they will be available to the family 24 hours a day for the next year. If this option is chosen, the specialist will check in with families periodically to track progress and identify any potential problems.
The Families First program operates on a budget of $2.7 million per year. Funding opportunities are available. Please use details in the Contact section for more information.
To move Families First to the Effective category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence at least two evaluations with strong study designs and well-matched comparison groups must be conducted that demonstrate sustained, positive outcomes. One of these evaluations must be conducted independently of the program developer.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Utah Youth Village by mail 5800 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121, phone 1-801-272-9980, fax 1-801-272-9976, or visit https://youthvillage.org/contact/
Hess, J. Z., Arner, W., Sykes, E., Price, A. G., Village, U. Y., Tanana, M., & Center, U. C. J. (2012). Helping juvenile offenders on their own “turf”: Tracking the recidivism outcomes of a home-based paraprofessional intervention. Journal of Juvenile Justice, 2, 12-24.
Lewis, R. E. (2005). The effectiveness of Families First services: An experimental study. Children and Youth Services Review, 27(5), 499-509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2004.10.009
Gray, D., Dawson, K. L., Grey, T. C., & McMahon, W. M. (2011). Best practices: The Utah youth suicide study: Best practices for suicide prevention through the juvenile court system. Psychiatric Services, 62(12), 1416-1418. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.014162011
Moskos, M. A., Halbern, S. R., Alder, S., & Kim, H. (2007). Utah youth suicide study: Evidence-based suicide prevention for juvenile offenders. Journal of Law & Family Studies, 10(1), 127.
