FAMILIES IN FOCUS PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR HISPANIC FAMILIES

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR USE WITHAN ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATION. THE HISPANIC POPULATION IS AMERICA'S FASTEST GROWING ETHNIC GROUP. CENSUS DATA INDICATE THIS POPULATION IS LESS EDUCATED AND MORE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED THAN THEIR ANGLO-AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS. RESEARCH STUDIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED OVERREPRESENTATION IN ALCOHOL/DRUG NEED SURVEYSAND IN TREATMENT POPULATIONS. THE PROBLEMS OF THIS POPULATION ARE FURTHER COMPLICATED DUE TO A LACK OF CULTURALLY SENSITIVE MODELS AND MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. WHILE THE ALCOHOL FIELD HAS PRODUCED A GREAT DEAL OF MATERIAL, THERE IS VIRTUALLY NOTHING THAT IS TARGETED SPECIFICALLY TO HISPANICS. IN PHASE I, THE PROJECT WILL TRANSLATE AND "CULTURALLY SENSITIZE" A MODEL OF EDUCATION/PREVENTION MATERIALS AND SERVICES CURRENTLY IN USE. THE MODEL, DEVELOPED BY FAMILIES IN FOCUS, INC., IS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM FOR THE PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE IN A FAMILY SETTING. RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS EFFECTIVENESS. THIS MODEL HOLDS PROMISE FOR EASE OF TRANSLATION AND ABILITY TO ADAPT FOR CULTURAL SENSITIVITY.