A Systems Approach to Improving Substance Abuse Treatment for Latino Youth: Latino Caucus of the APHA Annual Meeting November 6, 2006 URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER.

A Systems Approach to Improving Substance Abuse Treatment for Latino Youth:

Latino Caucus of the APHA Annual MeetingNovember 6, 2006

URBAN LEAGUE OFGREATER HARTFORD, INC.

The Hartford Youth Project (HYP)

• Funded through CSAT’s Strengthening Communities – Youth (SCY) initiative

• A collaborative effort, headed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF)

• A system of care approach

• Employment of evidence-based treatment models (MST, MDFT, FSN, MET/CBT)

• Pilot for Connecticut’s adolescent substance abuse treatment system

Hartford Youth Project System of Care

Outreach, Assessment, Engagement,

Referral:

Urban League of Greater Hartford

Outreach, Assessment, Engagement,

Referral:

Hispanic Health Council

Treatment Coordinator

:ABH

Community Referrals:

SchoolsCommunity AgenciesTreatment Providers

DCFFamilies and Youth

Wheeler

Clinic

HBH

The Villag

e

CSI NAFI

Follow-up:Hispanic Health Council

Follow-up:Urban League of Greater

Hartford

Juvenile Justice Referrals:Probation

Juvenile DetentionCommitted Youth

Catholic Charities

The Hartford Youth Project offers:

• Culturally competent outreach, engagement, and follow-up

• Centralized assessment• Family-based treatment methodology• Network of treatment providers• Service to youth:

-10-17 years old

-Living in the city of Hartford

-Substance dependent, addicted, or at-risk

for AOD use

HYP Referral Sources

5%5%

Community,

14%School, 15%

J uvenile

J ustice, 51%

3% 7%

J uvenile J ustice SchoolCommunity Treatment ProvidersDCF Law EnforcementOther

Family-Driven Outreach and Engagement Approach

• Build trust with youth and families• Assess family needs• Prepare the family for transition to

treatment• Help family access basic needs and

services• Maintain contact with family to

monitor client progress for up to 1 year

Profile of HYP Youth

75% male 42% African American 64% Hispanic

– 87% Puerto Rican Average age = 14.7 years old 51% referred by juvenile justice system 49% referred by community sources 68% from single parent families

10

65

80

44

28

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80P

e

r

c

e

n

t

R

e

p

o

r

t

i

n

g

WeeklyAlcohol Use

Weekly DrugUse

SexuallyActive

Multiple SexPartners

Drug-RelatedCrime

HYP’s Latino Youth: Substance Use and Risk Behaviors

68

87 83

46

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

P

e

r

c

e

n

t

R

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p

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t

i

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g

Single parentfamily

In school, past90 days

CriminalJ ustice

Involvement

EverVictimized

Profile of HYP’s Latino Youth

HYP’s Latino Youth: Mental Health and Substance Diagnosis

50

30

37

43

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50P

e

r

c

e

n

t

R

e

p

o

r

t

i

n

g

ConductDisorder

ADD/ADHD SubstanceAbuse Dx

SubstanceDependence Dx

What It Takes to be an HYP Outreach Agency

• Cultural competency

• Community-level base

• Services visible in and by the community

• Established reputation, trusted by community residents

• Multi-service orientation

• Child and family focus

HYP’s Latino Youth and Families: Issues and Challenges

• Trust issues• Stigma of substance abuse, treatment,

outside intervention (“keep it in the home”)• Youth and/or family denial of problem• Language (English vs. Spanish)• Limited resources to meet basic needs• Lack of appropriate educational resources• Youth/family treatment engagement and

retention • Involvement in juvenile justice system

Serving HYP’s Latino Youth and Families: Strategies for Success

• Engagement Specialists (ES) and agency staff share clients’ cultural values, language, and experience

• Staff have first-hand-knowledge of family issues and challenges

• Outreach agency have resources or connections to help families meet basic needs

Serving HYP’s Latino Youth and Families: Strategies for Success

• ES’s locate and access outside resources (community, state) to supplement agency resources for families

• ES’s interface with key stakeholders (schools, Juvenile Justice, employers, etc.)

• HYP matches families with culturally competent and/or bilingual treatment providers

HYP Youth: 6-Month Treatment Outcomes

116

65

38

11

5

37

17

93

68

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

P

e

r

c

e

n

t

R

e

p

o

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t

i

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g

Weekly Alcohol

Use

Weekly Drug Use Arrest in Past

Month

Illegal Activity Sexually Active

Intake 6-Months

HYP Youth: 6-Month Treatment Outcomes

33

19

49

30

61 64

18

4

9489

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

P

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Weekly Alcohol

Use at Home

Peer Weekly

Alcohol Use

Peer Drug Use Victimized in Past

90 days

In School

Intake 6-Months

HYP: A Summary

• HYP has been successful in engaging youth and families in Hartford and increasing the number served by evidence-based treatment models.

• Overall 6-month treatment outcomes have been positive.

• Community-based agencies and staff have been successful due to cultural competency, and ability to identify with families, build trust, and access needed resources.

“INVESTING TIME IN OUR YOUTH IS INVESTING TIME IN OUR FUTURE”

“Engagement Specialist…not just a job…a calling.”

To be successful, an Engagement Specialist MUST:

• Come from and feel comfortable in the community• Identify with youth and families• Build and maintain trust of those they serve• Be reliable and willing to work hard • Be resourceful, creative, and persistent• Have strong organizational and communication

skills• Support the whole entire family (address needs

beyond substance abuse)• Have access to crucial resources to help families

meet basic needs

For additional information on this presentation or the Hartford Youth Project contact:

Jennifer E. Sussman, HYP Evaluation Project DirectorUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterPhone: (860) 679-5409E-mail: [email protected]

Robyn Anderson, HYP Project ManagerAdvanced Behavioral HealthPhone: (860) 638-5336E-mail: [email protected]

URBAN LEAGUE OF

GREATER HARTFORD, INC.