Stories

Aligning Existing Efforts in Prevention Planning in Morris County, NJ

As members of the Safe Start Initiative in Morris County, New Jersey, worked more closely together, they realized they were most effective when member organizations agreed to complete tasks that aligned with their existing activities. In order to strengthen the skills of parents and caregivers, the steering committee had to be realistic about how each member organization’s mandate and funding overlapped with the coalition’s goals. This deeper understanding of member organizations’ priorities enabled the coalition to develop short- and long-term objectives, and a multi-year work plan to guide their efforts and hold member organizations accountable.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/child-abuse-neglect/communication-resources/efc-building-community-commitment.pdf

Building Capacity to Select and Implement Prevention in North Carolina

Recognizing the challenges of implementing effective strategies to address child maltreatment at both the state and local levels, North Carolina child maltreatment prevention partners have created an advisory group, The Alliance for Evidence-Based Family Strengthening Programs, to support local communities in the implementation of evidence-based parenting and family support programs. The Alliance currently funds implementation of three evidence-based programs, Nurse-Family Partnership; Incredible Years Program; and the Strengthening Families Program, across the state. However, the primary goal of the Alliance is to provide communities with the staff skills and tools needed to select and implement programs that are both evidence-based and appropriate for community needs. A major component of the group’s work has been the provision of technical assistance and training in communities to build capacity for selection and implementation of prevention programs.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/phl/resource_center_ncarolina.html