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Program Adaptation

Program Adaptation

When choosing an evidence-based program (EBP), it is important to consider how a program will fit with the cultural values of your target population, as well as how it will fit with the setting and resources available for implementation. If a program does not make cultural sense to your target audience, then it is unlikely to be effective. For this reason, a program developed and empirically supported in one community simply may not work in another. Additionally, a program needs to be feasible and practical in your specific setting to be implemented effectively.

However, it is possible that no one EBP is a perfect match for your situation. When this happens, it is often necessary to modify an existing program to better fit your needs.

  • Adaptation refers to any change a prevention program undergoes to meet specific needs. Adaptation can include two types of changes to programs:
  • Content: Making changes or additions to program manuals, tasks, and tools so that the content is more relevant to the target population. In order to be effective, these changes should reflect the use of both culturally-relevant names, terms, and examples (surface structure) and culturally-relevant concepts, themes, and issues (deep structure).
  • Delivery: Making changes to the way programs are carried out (e.g., methods, online, or in the classroom)

 Most programs are characterized by a set of "key ingredients" which are thought to be the main catalysts of program effectiveness. The rest of the program surrounds and supports these key ingredients. When making modifications to a program it is important to identify and keep the "key ingredients" in order to maintain program effectiveness. However, often other facets of the program can be changed without significantly diminishing program effectiveness. When changes are made to a program it is critical that they are recorded and monitored so that you can later understand if they had some major effect on the intended outcomes. Well-designed adaptations can actually increase the effectiveness of your program.

 

References

Castro, F., Barrera, M., and Martinez, C. (2004). The cultural adaptation of prevention interventions: resolving tension between fidelity and fit. Prevention Science, 5(1), 41-45.
 
Resnicow, K., Baranowski, T., Ahluwalia, J.S., and Braithwaite, R.L. (1999). Cultural sensitivity in public health: defined and demystified. Ethnicity and Disease, 9 (1), 10-21.
 
SAMHSA. (2015, September 25). Cultural Competence. Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov/capt/applying-strategic-prevention/cultural-competence

September 2021

Sep 08 Wed
Enhancing Your Prevention Communication Strategies Through Traditional Media and Social Media

Learning Objectives:

  • Define social marketing, social norms marketing, and media advocacy
  • Identify how the goals and focus audiences differ for social marketing, social norms marketing, and media advocacy
  • List the steps necessary to implement social marketing, social norms marketing, and media advocacy
  • Identify when social media can be used to augment their substance misuse prevention work
  • Select the appropriate social media platform(s) for their focus audience(s)
  • Apply best practices for creating social media posts
  • Identify appropriate use of social media when implementing social marketing campaigns, social norms marketing campaigns, and media advocacy strategies
Location

Zoom
Sep 14 Tue
Ethics in Prevention for Maui County Providers

This free, two-day virtual training will cover the topic of ethics in the substance misuse prevention field.  The training will cover key terminology, the six principles in the Prevention Code of Ethics, and a decision-making process to use when faced with an ethical dilemma.  
Location

Zoom
Sep 14 Tue
Community Engagement Webinars (Two-Session)

Learning Objectives:

  • Explore a framework for community participation in prevention
  • Identify who you want to engage in which prevention efforts
  • Brainstorm ways to engage them during COVID-19 restrictions
  • Develop your community engagement plan
Location

Zoom
Sep 17 Fri
Sustainability 101: Sustaining Your Work for the Long-Haul!

Organizations are continuously faced with the day-to-day challenges of running programs and its operations. This often makes it difficult for organizations to make time to develop sustainability plans that take a broader perspective on ways to continue the work into the future. This training will explore ways for programs, coalitions, and organizations to understand sustainability, and begin developing a plan that sustains the work and the organization. We'll discuss key elements of sustainability, and participants will have an opportunity to collaborate with other professionals, and take initial steps to begin developing a sustainability plan for their program, organization, or coalition.
Location

Zoom
Sep 17 Fri
Maui County's September Network Meeting

This is a casual event to provide an opportunity for prevention providers and stakeholders to network and collaborate, discuss training and news updates, and share prevention-related information with each other.

There will be sharing and discussion on updates from organizations and prevention programs, and discussion of any relevant news, opportunities for collaboration, or other relevant prevention-related information.

Other resources and trainings needed will be discussed.
Location

Zoom
Sep 17 Fri
Partnerships for Success: Evidence-Based Workgroup Meeting

2021 Evidence-Based Workgroup Meeting
Location

Zoom
Sep 24 Fri
Evaluation 101: The Whys, Whats, and Hows to Evaluating Your Program

This training will explore the basic concepts of evaluation and will teach attendees how to utilize Excel to assist in program evaluation.
Location

Zoom
Sep 27 Mon
Lunch & Learn - Steps to Becoming a Certified Prevention Specialist
Developing a competent workforce in many career fields includes certification processes that set standards of practice. This same principle applies to the substance misuse prevention workforce. This webinar will explain the value of the Certified Prevention Specialist and provide participants with a step-by-step process for obtaining the certification in the State of Hawai‘i.
 
Location

Zoom
Sep 28 Tue
Maui County's September Network Meeting

Join us for a FREE Maui County drug prevention provider networking event on Friday, September 17th, from 10:00AM - 12:00PM. This is a casual event to provide an opportunity for prevention providers and stakeholders to network and collaborate, discuss training and news updates, and share prevention-related information with each other.

We'll provide opportunities for sharing and discussion on updates from organizations and prevention programs, and discuss any relevant news, opportunities for collaboration, or other relevant prevention-related information.

We'll also spend some time discussing other resources and trainings needed as we move into the fall season.

 
Location

Zoom
Sep 29 Wed
Prevention Ethics

The participants will learn the role and application of ethics in substance abuse prevention. Using scenarios and interactive activities, participants will explore the six standards in the Prevention Code of Ethics.

 

 
Location

Zoom
Sep 29 Wed
SPF 101: Understanding the Basics of the Strategic Prevention Framework

This training will provide an overview to SAMHSA's evidence-based process for planning and implementing substance use prevention known as the Strategic Prevention Framework.

Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the background of the Strategic Prevention Framework
  2. Identify the steps of the Strategic Prevention Framework.
  3. Have a basic understanding of how to apply the steps to their work in prevention.

 
Location

Zoom
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