A Community Member’s Perspective On CHAMP Angela Paulino, B.S. Mount Sinai School of Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicineand The Bronx Community Collaborative.

A Community A Community Member’s Perspective Member’s Perspective

On CHAMPOn CHAMP

Angela Paulino, B.S.Angela Paulino, B.S. Mount Sinai School of Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicine

and and

The Bronx Community The Bronx Community Collaborative Board Collaborative Board

Collaborative Approach is Collaborative Approach is Absolutely Necessary to Absolutely Necessary to

Overcome Challenges to HIV Overcome Challenges to HIV Prevention Within Inner-City Prevention Within Inner-City

CommunitiesCommunitiesinsufficient insufficient resourcesresources

low levelslow levels of participationof participation

tensions and suspicionstensions and suspicions between consumers, between consumers, providers and providers and researchersresearchers

Collaboration is a Necessary Collaboration is a Necessary FoundationFoundation

Program of research based on core assumptionsProgram of research based on core assumptions : :Collaboration with consumers (youth, parents, Collaboration with consumers (youth, parents, providers, and communities) lead to services and providers, and communities) lead to services and prevention programs that potentially are:prevention programs that potentially are:

• acceptableacceptable to consumers to consumers• relevantrelevant to consumer’s context, specific needs to consumer’s context, specific needs

and core valuesand core values• potentially potentially effectiveeffective when… when…• implemented in implemented in “real world” settings“real world” settings by by

naturally existing providers and resources naturally existing providers and resources (sustainable)(sustainable)

Addressing Youth Prevention Addressing Youth Prevention and Mental Health Needs and Mental Health Needs

Through CollaborationThrough Collaboration

Collaborative PrinciplesCollaborative Principles• Developing a set of shared, prevention Developing a set of shared, prevention

focused goalsfocused goals• Sharing decision making and powerSharing decision making and power• Recognizing the skills and expertise Recognizing the skills and expertise

associated with university training and associated with university training and consumer/community experienceconsumer/community experience

• Creating ongoing opportunities for Creating ongoing opportunities for communicationcommunication

• Developing trustDeveloping trust

CHAMP Collaborative BoardCHAMP Collaborative Board

• Membership includes parents, school Membership includes parents, school staff, representatives from key staff, representatives from key community institutionscommunity institutions

• Twice monthly project oversight Twice monthly project oversight meetingsmeetings

• Committees – Curriculum, Committees – Curriculum, Implementation, Research, Finance, Implementation, Research, Finance, Welcome, Grant Writing, International Welcome, Grant Writing, International HIV prevention, Leadership HIV prevention, Leadership DevelopmentDevelopment

)

Differences between CHAMP Differences between CHAMP Chicago and CHAMP New Chicago and CHAMP New

YorkYork•Chicago

•African Americans Only

•Chicago Slang

•Cartoons included in the program reflected Chicago communities

•New York

•Adapted for a Multicultural Community

•New York Slang

•We added an emphasis on STI’s

• Curriculum committee comprised mainly of community members

•Cartoons changed to reflect NYC community

•Translated into Spanish

Adapting CHAMP to Adapting CHAMP to New YorkNew York

#1 Community Collaborative Board members traveled #1 Community Collaborative Board members traveled to Chicago and met with the creators of the program.to Chicago and met with the creators of the program.

#2 A Curriculum Committee was created and it #2 A Curriculum Committee was created and it included Board members and collaborators from the included Board members and collaborators from the university.university.

The curriculum was reviewed and parts of it were The curriculum was reviewed and parts of it were changed in order to fit more for the needs of the changed in order to fit more for the needs of the community in Bronx, NY. Role play dialogues, cartoons, community in Bronx, NY. Role play dialogues, cartoons, and some of the activities were changed.and some of the activities were changed.A pilot was conducted and a second review happened.A pilot was conducted and a second review happened.Also, Board members participated in, yet another pilot Also, Board members participated in, yet another pilot test to “see the program from the inside.”test to “see the program from the inside.”Then the program was ready to be delivered in Then the program was ready to be delivered in schools.schools.

Cultural Adaptation of Cultural Adaptation of CHAMP CHAMP

60% of the population in the Bronx is Hispanic.60% of the population in the Bronx is Hispanic.

ChallengesChallenges– Diversity of the Hispanic cultureDiversity of the Hispanic culture– Differences in the Spanish spoken from country to Differences in the Spanish spoken from country to

country.country.– Hispanic culture and taboosHispanic culture and taboos

SolutionsSolutions

– Collaboration: The curriculum committee included Collaboration: The curriculum committee included members from different countries in Latin America.members from different countries in Latin America.

– Facilitators were trained on how to deliver sensitive Facilitators were trained on how to deliver sensitive information respecting cultural practices.information respecting cultural practices.

– Hispanic facilitators delivered the program.Hispanic facilitators delivered the program.

HOPEHOPE (Homeless Outreach (Homeless Outreach for Parents and Early for Parents and Early adolescents)adolescents)

To identify the specific To identify the specific prevention needs of early prevention needs of early adolescent youth and their adolescent youth and their families living in homeless families living in homeless

sheltersshelters To collaboratively develop, To collaboratively develop,

implement and examine implement and examine rates of involvement and rates of involvement and impact of a family-based impact of a family-based HIV and drug abuse HIV and drug abuse prevention program, the prevention program, the HOPE Family Program.HOPE Family Program.

Did you know

that nearly half

of the 32,000

people who slept

in NYC shelters

last night were

children?

Program Content Informed by Program Content Informed by Youth & Adult Caregivers with Youth & Adult Caregivers with Experiences of HomelessnessExperiences of Homelessness

Homelessness disrupts naturally existing Homelessness disrupts naturally existing family family

supportssupports

StigmaStigma

Violence exposureViolence exposure during previous housing during previous housing

experiences and within shelter environmentexperiences and within shelter environment

Parental leadershipParental leadership and authority undermined within and authority undermined within

shelter; parenting under intense scrutinyshelter; parenting under intense scrutiny

Parental concerns about Parental concerns about negative impact on childrennegative impact on children

HOPE HOPE

After a pilot of CHAMP in a family homeless After a pilot of CHAMP in a family homeless shelter, the Board realized that CHAMP did not shelter, the Board realized that CHAMP did not meet all the prevention needs of homeless meet all the prevention needs of homeless families.families.

The Curriculum Committee drew upon two other The Curriculum Committee drew upon two other evidence based interventions and merged some evidence based interventions and merged some of the components with CHAMP.of the components with CHAMP.

The SISTA Program The SISTA Program Strengthening Families ProgramStrengthening Families Program Then the Board created partnerships with Then the Board created partnerships with

homeless shelters, agencies that serve the homeless shelters, agencies that serve the homeless population.homeless population.

Collaboration made it possible for HOPE to be Collaboration made it possible for HOPE to be delivered to families in need. delivered to families in need.

Collaboration made it possible for Collaboration made it possible for CHAMP to move across geography, CHAMP to move across geography,

culture & to meet pressing community culture & to meet pressing community needsneeds