Description

Fostering Healthy FuturesĀ®- Preteen (FHF-P) is a positive youth development program for preadolescent youth, ages 9 to 11, who have current or previous child welfare involvement due to one or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs may include experiencing maltreatment; out-of-home placement; instability in housing, caregivers or schools; and/or parental substance use, mental illness, or incarceration.

The program uses a combination of individual mentoring and group-based skills training to promote healthy development and reduce risk factors for adverse outcomes. For the skills groups, children meet for 1.5 hours a week for 30 weeks with a group size of 8 Ā– 10 youth. During mentoring, children are paired with graduate student mentors and receive 30 weeks of one-on-one mentoring for 2 to 4 hours per week. The program can be delivered in the family home, community daily living setting, community-based agency, and residential care. FHF-P has materials available in English and Spanish.

Better mental health functioning; Fewer trauma symptoms; Less utilization of mental health services; Higher quality of life; Fewer placement changes; Less residential treatment; Higher rates of permanency; Reduces delinquency; Cost-effective.