Challenges Faced in the Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

of Community-based Interventions

Robert Nash Parker and Roxie Alcaraz

Southern California Academic Center of Excellence on Youth Violence

Prevention, University of California, Riverside

presentation for 2010 Summer Institute on Youth Violence Prevention

August 4, 2010

The Tale of 3 Cities: Readiness to Change

& Youth Violence Prevention

ACE-UCR Communities

Santa Ana, CA - zip code 92710

Riverside, CA - Arlanza neighborhood

Perris, CA - entire city

Santa Ana, CA - zip code 92710

• 90% Latino immigrant population

• Partner - Latino Health Access (LHA)

• Interventions

FAST (Families and Schools Together)

CDPT (Child Development Parent Training)

Santa Ana, CA - zip code 92710

• Recruitment of families

• Scheduling

• Attrition

• Neighborhood violence

• Immigration reform

• Parent empowerment

• Cost

Challenges faced in Santa Ana

Riverside, CA - Arlanza neighborhood

• Highest concentration of Latinos in the City

• Partners

City of Riverside, Mayor’s Office

Riverside Red TeamYouth Violence Prevention

Policy Board

• Interventions & Projects

Arlanza Youth & Family Resource Center

Neighborhood Indicators Project

Riverside, CA - Arlanza neighborhood

• Illiteracy

• Changes in City government

• Code Enforcement

Challenges faced in Riverside

Perris, CA

• Ethnically diverse city - historically low income, but with newly developed areas of upper-middle to upper income populations

• Partners

Perris Valley Arts & Activities Council

Riverside County 5th Supervisorial District

Perris Red Team

• Interventions - None

Perris, CA

Challenges faced in Perris

• Divisive community

• Lack of support from City

Government

• Lack of support from powerful

business community

Success vs. Failure

Santa Ana, CA - zip code 92710

Riverside, CA - Arlanza neighborhood

Perris, CA - entire city

SUCCESS!

FAILURE!

3 communities all with significant challenges for community-based intervention

2 are successful, 1 is not...

WHY?

Readiness to Change

Transtheoretical Model (TTM) (Nidecker, et al., 2008).

Behavior change model with 5 stages of “readiness to change”.

1. precontemplation

2. contemplation

3. preparation

4. action

5. maintenance

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Community readiness model has 9 stages of “readiness to change”.

1. no awareness of problem 6. initiation

2. denial 7. stabilization

3. vague awareness 8. confirmation &

expression

4. preplanning 9. professionalization

5. preparation

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Case study of Perris demonstrates how readiness to change may be a precursor for YVP community intervention

ACE-UCR lesson learned: Challenges and barriers faced in Perris might have been overcome had we more closely examined the community’s level of readiness to change

Work in Perris began in January 2004 with start up of the Perris Red Team

To date, no intervention or program to address youth violence has been developed or implemented

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Overview of Perris Timeline (see Parker, Alcaraz, &

Payne in readings)

Year 1 - 2004

Hints of denial and vague awareness of a problem: belief is that existing programs such as project SHIELD are address YV problems; no new efforts are needed

Evidence of preplanning and preparation: Red Team develops mission statement; conducts

assessment of local service providers; 2 City Councilmen are convinced to attend Red Team meeting

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Overview of Perris Timeline (see Parker, Alcaraz, &

Payne in readings)

Year 2 - 2005

Edging toward initiation: Red Team plans to conduct teen focus groups; begins strategic plan

Relapse to preplanning and preparation: focus groups tabled; strategic plan became focus; City Councilmen don’t come back

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Overview of Perris Timeline (see Parker, Alcaraz, &

Payne in readings)Year 3 - 2006

Moving closer to preparation: 3rd Councilmember joins Red Team, seems more committed to help; she gives guidance on development of strategic plan and how to present to City Council

Sliding back to preplanning: Red Team attendance is low; strategic planning slows; Red Team decides to model neighboring city organization - UNITY; all efforts go toward

starting UNITY and strategic planning falls by the wayside

Again moving toward preparation: UNITY is established and Red Team begins again to focus on strategic planning and by end of 2006 strategic plan presented to City Council

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Overview of Perris Timeline (see Parker, Alcaraz, &

Payne in readings)Year 4 - 2007

Moving again toward initiation: Workgroup meeting with City Council is productive; City Council will support a parent needs assessment survey in the 2 Perris school districts

Setback to preparation: Mistakes implementing survey in 1st school district cause delay in beginning second district survey; problems

and issues must be resolved

Near relapse all the way back to preplanning: Difficulty getting cooperation from second school district; turnover in Red Team

leadership; difficulties continue into 2008

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Overview of Perris Timeline (see Parker, Alcaraz, &

Payne in readings)Year 5 - 2008

Initiation is close: Resumed survey project in Fall 2008; completed in spring 2009

Year 6 - 2009

Moving still closer to initiation : Analysis of survey data revealed 4 key areas of concern; Red team takes report to City Council with a solid proposal for addressing one issue - the need for more arts and activities for children; summer program and provider ready to provide program in summer of 2009; City asked only to provide insurance rider

Possibility of moving to full-fledged initiation with stage 7, stabilization and stage 8, confirmation looming in the near future: Prospect quickly undermined by City leadership failing to act; summer program goes elsewhere

Community Readiness Model (Edwards et al., 2000)

Overview of Perris Timeline (see Parker, Alcaraz, &

Payne in readings)Year 6 - 2009 (continued)

Major slide and relapse to stage 4, preplanning: Red Team decides to publish a report of the survey findings; series of focused planning meetings to develop a publishable document were scheduled

To date - 2010

Document is complete and in the format and design phase; Perris Sheriff’s department is going to publish and distribute most likely in the late fall

Take Home Message

Three factors explain lack of success in Perris

1. Unstable leadership• 4 different Red Team leaders• Political leaders in and out of Red Team

2. Shifting/unstable Red Team membership• Agency leaders dropped out, sending underlings to meetings• Members became tired and frustrated at lack of progress and quit coming

3. Shift in focus from reducing youth violence to creating another group, UNITY

Community Readiness Model: A Tool for Assessment

Community Readiness: A Handbook for Successful Change ( Plested, Edwards, and Jumper-Thurman, 2006)

provides survey methodology

set of questionnaires for community leaders

determine if a community is ready for change

determine what approach might bring a community to a state of readiness to change