Juvenile Justice Case Study
Organization: Prison Families Aftercare, Auburn, CA
Program Name: Prison Families
Funding: Subcontract from CA National Guard Challenge Program, private donors, and Parkside Church in Auburn, CA
What problem is being solved? Healthy coping mechanisms. Emotion regulation. Trauma information. Identifying healthy vs. toxic relationships for youth affected by mass incarceration.
Curricula used: Love Notes
Curricula benefits: Relationship education for at risk/high risk youth
Target Audience: At-risk and high risk youth whose parents have been incarcerated.
Audience Demographics: Males and females 16-18 years. 90% Latino with ACE scores 5 or above.
Class size: 20-30
Program setting: Classroom
Location of Instruction: Setting is a military boarding school residential program 5 ½ months in length located at Camp San Luis Obispo Army Base.
Length of Instruction: Either five 2 hour sessions over 5 months or two 5 hour sessions over 5 months.
Instructors: Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) interns & clinical supervisor, pastors and special guests
Instructor Training: MFTs are trained by the Program Director who was trained by Dibble.
Student Workbooks: Provided at the first session.
Incentives to teachers and students: MFT interns can complete required hours for licensing and build relationships with students. Students get specialized attention.
Observable Outcomes: By the end of the program, most students seek to rebuild broken relationships and learn how to identify toxic relationships and end them safely. Build trusted adult connections.
Challenges: Finding enough time to teach all the sections we would want.
Tips: Take Love Notes and apply specific lessons to your target audience when you cannot do the whole thing.