Dr. Karol L. Kumpfer, developer of SFP and Professor at the University of Utah, was recently retained as a consultant to support the efforts of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (ODC) in Vienna, Austria on dissemination of evidence-based family approaches to drug prevention. A systematic approach is being taken that included creating an international expert work group of professionals and university researchers in parenting and family interventions worldwide. This expert group met at the UN in Vienna in October to discuss suggestions for a Guideline Protocol on ways local NGOs or family services agencies could select the best evidence-based parenting or family interventions matching the needs of their families and agency resources. The protocol also includes suggestions on how to culturally adapt the program and implement it in developing countries. These steps for culturally adapting SFP has already been published with Dr. Pinyuchon from Thailand, Ana de Melo, and Dr. Henry Whiteside.
Additionally, with support by the ODC program staff, Dr. Kumpfer and Ana Melo, M.D. in Portugal conducted an international search for evidence-based parenting programs worldwide. Over 180 programs have been located and their program developers have submitted research articles and program descriptions. These will be added to the UN ODC website and Dr. Kumpfer’s web site www.strengtheningfamilies.org after expert reviews this summer of their levels of evidence of effectiveness to be made available for community agencies and governments worldwide.
Karol to add picture and link to UN website about initiative.
For descriptions of the prior expert review process used to determine the 34 evidence-based parenting and family programs for the Strengthening America’s Families web site for the federal government offices of the NIJ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and SAMHSA’s Center for Drug Abuse Prevention (CSAP) see Kumpfer and Alvarado’s 2003 article in the American Psychologist or the criteria for review use listed on www.strengtheningfamilies.org
