Administrator's Guide to RY Implementation

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our long-term goal is to enhance the implementation fidelity of Reconnecting Youth [RY(r)], a NIH/SAMSHA model prevention program. Implementation failures of model programs include unrecognized, persistent structural features, poor management, meager attention paid to the adults who lead and carry out the program. Hence, we focus on innovative ways to prepare administrators in charge of creating the infrastructure for implementing RY with fidelity. Phase I Specific Aims address requests from RY adopters-to give administrators the training needed to lead efforts at 'scaling up' the adoption and fidelity of RY. The aims entail creating 3 new products (in italics below): 1. To create a user-friendly RY Administrator's Handbook, loaded on the Web, that covers needed information, principles and actions with rationale to correctly select and implement RY-noting what is essential vs. variable. 2. To create a prototype module (1 of 5 planned) for an RY Administrator's "Wizard," a Web-based tutorial that uses a hands-on approach to tackling key decisions, infrastructure creation, and implementation essentials for RY. 3. To create an RY Administrator's Web site-to house products of Aim 1 & 2 and to access RY technical support. Evaluation of Phase 1 will be guided by recommendations for an action-research approach to examining product feasibility, desirability and potential for fostering informed program selection decisions, creating necessary infrastructure, and applying RY implementation essentials. Phase I products set the stage for a Phase II experimental test comparing the impact of two administrator training approaches and technical support on RY implementation fidelity. Innovativeness: This project focuses on a highly neglected area of study in prevention and education. Novel, state-of-the-art products and methods will be created to aid RY administrators in program selection and implementation with fidelity. Significance: The results will advance our understanding of training methodologies that enhance implementation fidelity, relating directly to NIH'S and SAMSHA'S mission to foster this in evidence-based, drug abuse prevention programs. Products and methods will have the potential to serve as exemplars for scaling up school-based model programs.