Training Community Members to Serve as Paraprofessionals in an Evidence-Based, Prevention Program for Parents of Preschoolers

Abstract

Widespread dissemination of evidence-based programs for underserved populations may require non-traditional means of service provision. Collaboration with paraprofessionals from communities that are targeted for intervention holds promise as a delivery strategy that may make programs more accessible and acceptable, especially to parents living in low-income, urban neighborhoods. We describe a paraprofessional training program for individuals living in a community targeted for preventive intervention based on high levels of poverty and community violence. The design and implementation of the training program are described in the context of issues related to the use of paraprofessionals in community-based, preventive interventions with parents of young children. We also provide insight into lessons learned from a feasibility study as well as general guidelines for the development of paraprofessional training programs for delivery of evidence-based programs.KEY WORDS: paraprofessionals; training program; preventive interventions; evidence-based programs.

Exploring the role of natural helpers in efforts to address disparities for children with conduct problems

“…For example, current participants believed that the incorporation of trained natural helpers as paid parenting interventionists would foster increased access to parent training among the Latina/o families that they serve. These beliefs are consistent with emerging research literature documenting that paid natural helpers can eliminate service access barriers for Latina/o families both broadly (e.g., Elder, Ayala, Slymen, Arredondo, & Campbell, 2009) and in the specific case of parenting interventions (e.g., Calzada et al, 2005). …”

“…Consistent with prior research on the advantages of training natural helpers to work with historically underserved populations (e.g., Calzada et al, 2005; Jain, 2010; Koskan et al, 2012; Waltr & Petr, 2006), participants felt that they could deliver such an intervention and pointed to potential advantages of delivering the intervention through natural helpers including bypassing mental health care stigma and the ability to credibly communicate with underserved families. Participants’ suggestions that the natural helpers who are selected to deliver this intervention demonstrate community involvement and have been parents themselves expand on research documenting the general characteristics of effective natural helpers, which include empathy, flexibility, patience, comfort with the subject matter and belief in an intervention’s effectiveness (Acevedo-Polakovich et al, 2013).…”

“…For instance, several lines of research suggest that incorporating natural helpers–individuals to whom underserved families naturally turn for advice, emotional support, and tangible aid (Israel, 1985)—into services for children with conduct problems could address utilization barriers (Acevedo-Polakovich, Niec, Barnett, & Bell, 2013). First, many cultural and contextual barriers preventing service utilization are bypassed because underserved families naturally turn to these individuals for assistance (Calzada et al, 2005; Jain, 2010; Koskan et al, 2012). Second, because of enhanced abilities to establish rapport and communicate effectively with underserved families, natural helpers can successfully facilitate intervention engagement and retention among historically underserved families (Walter & Petr, 2006).…”

Embedding the Family Check-Up and evidence-based parenting programmes in Head Start to increase parent engagement and reduce conduct problems in young children

“…Because involving familiar and trusted agency staff in service delivery enhances positive program perceptions (Calzada et al, 2005), HS staff co-facilitated IY groups. They received IY training and ongoing consultation from a certified IY mentor, and each co-facilitated her first group series with an experienced IY-trained BCRC clinician.…”

Promoting Effective Parenting Practices and Preventing Child Behavior Problems in School Among Ethnically Diverse Families From Underserved, Urban Communities

“…The current study aims to evaluate the potential efficacy and acceptability of ParentCorps , a new culturally informed family intervention that could be broadly disseminated as a universal preventive intervention to ethnically diverse children attending Pre‐K programs in public schools in disadvantaged, urban communities. ParentCorps was informed by the prevention science and developmental literatures with extensive input and collaboration from community stakeholders, parents, and teachers (Brotman, Kingston, et al., 2008; Caldwell et al., 2005; Calzada et al., 2005). Intervention content and delivery strategies were designed to be relevant and engaging to all families and, at the same time, to be sufficient to address the needs of the highest risk children.…”