The First Strengthening Families Program
The first Strengthening Families Program was developed by Karol Kumpfer at the University of Utah and deemed effective by the National Institute of Drug Abuse in the early 1980s. The original version was created for children ages 6-11. Since that time the Utah Strengthening Families Program has been modified for younger children (ages 3-5) and young teens (ages 13-17).
Iowa Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14
Researchers and Extension faculty Virginia Molgaard at Iowa State University collaborated to adapt and study SFP 10-14 for families with early adolescents (Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14). Extensive research on the Iowa version of the program has demonstrated that it is effective in delaying adolescents’ use of alcohol and tobacco; reducing aggression; and improving parents’ family management skills.
Dissemination of SFP 10-14 in Washington
In 1999, Extension faculty at Washington State University identified early adolescence as a priority area for new programming. They adopted Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 because it was an evidence-based program, developed by Extension faculty and considered a model or exemplary program by several federal agencies.
WSU then trained over 400 facilitators from 29 Washington Counties. We collected program evaluation data from well over 100 programs and over 2000 parents and youth. In 2003 an interagency team was formed with representatives of the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA), the Family Policy Council, Community Trade and Economic Development (CTED), the Department of Health, and a number of Educational School Districts. In 2004 the Spanish-language version of the program was incorporated into the dissemination effort.
Highlights of SFP 10-14 with WSU Extension
1999
- WSU Extension educators Drew Betz & Chris Koehler trained by SFP 10-14 developers (Lee and Virginia Molgaard)
2000
- First programs implemented, first facilitator trainings conducted by Drew Betz and Chris Koehler.
2001
- WSU team formed to coordinate dissemination and evaluation of SFP 10-14 in Washington
2002
- First WSU evaluations conducted and reported
2003
- First presentation of SFP 10-14 data at national conference at the Society for Prevention Research
- First meeting of State Interagency team
2004
- First training for Spanish-language version of SFP 10-14
2005
- Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse grant awarded
- WSU, SFP 10-14 & Community Trade and Economic Development combine evaluation efforts
- Joint Spanish-English facilitator training in Yakima
2006
- Second joint Spanish-English facilitator training in Yakima
- New website up and running
- (WSU version of Spanish-language SFP 10-14 manual published: November)
- (Updated SFP 10-14 videos issued by Iowa State University: December)
2009 – 2014
- First CYFAR grant (2009-2014) Creating Culturally Competent Programs for Families. Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Children Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR).
2015
- WSU was awarded a Washington State Health Care Authority contract through the Department of Behavioral Health and Recovery to support substance use disorder (SUD) and prevention through parenting programs and family and youth resiliency. This contract also supports statewide workforce development for community SUD partners.
2016
- Iowa State University (ISU) issues curriculum revision
- WSU SFP 10-14 Facilitator Trainers recertified
- WSU and ISU look critically at fidelity; retraining Washington State SFP 10-14 facilitators
2017
- AnaMaria Diaz Martinez certified as an ISU SFP 10-14 National Trainer
2019
- AnaMaria Diaz Martinez has been instrumental in updating the Familias Fuertes curriculum with Pan American Health Organization for ISU.
- WSU receives funding from USDA to study a cannabis adaptation of SFP 10-14
- WSU receives funding from SAMSHA to provide training and technical assistance to SFP 10-14 across the region of AK, ID, OR, & WA
2020
- Face-to-face delivery of SFP 10-14 is suspended across Washington due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- In response to a statewide need, WSU begins planning a virtual adaptation to support the continuation of SFP 10-14 delivery.
2021
- WSU finalized and provided training for a virtual adaptation toolkit to support SFP 10-14 delivery in an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic. This adaptation toolkit becomes a valuable resource to continue to reach families in rural parts of Washington after face-to-face programming resumes.
2022
- WSU Extension’s Parenting Team, of which SFP 10-14 is one component, receives the 2022 Western Extension Directors Association award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
- ISU updated SPF 10-14 curriculum and videos for English language version.
2023
- Local professionals are trained and certified by ISU to serve across Washington, becoming the state with largest number of trainers in the country.
- AnaMaria Diaz Martinez begins the process of updating WSU’s culturally adapted Fortaleciendo Familias Para Padres y Jóvenes 10-14 años. Anticipated completion by 2025.
Anticipated for 2024
- WSU translates and disseminates SFP 10-14 cannabis adaptation in Spanish.
- Virtual adaptation is translated into Spanish to support outreach to rural and multilingual families.