Sad News on Loss of SFP Trainer, Miguel Silva, M.S.

On the morning of March 14th, Dr. Kumpfer received a call from Leslie Silva saying Miguel Silva, her beloved husband and my graduate student at the University of Utah had died of lung cancer related to asbestos after surgery to remove his diseased lung. He left behind four young children and many friends and colleagues in the SFP family. He was one of our best trainers of group leaders especially for Spanish speaking trainees. Along with Joaquin Fenollar, Ph.D., he had trained clinicians in Monterrey, Mexico, who within a year completed over 800 families. Their outcome results were excellent. He ran the Spanish speaking parent training groups as NorthStar Elementary in SLC for which we got excellent results.

Donations can be made to the SF Foundation to establish a scholarship fund in his name for minority graduate students in Health Promotion and Education at the University of Utah.

Below: Miguel Silva at the SFP Trainer Reunion at Zion National Park, Utah, April 2014.

New Strengthening Christian Families Program

NCADD, Sacramento, developed and tested a new Strengthening Christian Families Program (SCFP) for five different faith communities. The program seeks to support families of faith in keeping their kids safe from risk, developing strong family and congregational ties, and learning how to integrate Christian principles in daily decision making. The program begins with a free family dinner, and continues with courses designed for parents, children, and teens. NCADD, Sacramento is now distributing the training workshops and manuals. See video with pastors of different churches talking about their experience with SFP. NCADD, Sacramento, developed and tested a new Strengthening Christian Families Program (SCFP) for five different faith communities. The program seeks to support families of faith in keeping their kids safe from risk, developing strong family and congregational ties, and learning how to integrate Christian principles in daily decision making. The program begins with a free family dinner, and continues with courses designed for parents, children, and teens. NCADD, Sacramento is now distributing the training workshops and manuals. See video with pastors of different churches talking about their experience with SFP. https://ncaddsac.org/christian-companion-program/

See what one mother had to say:

As a single mom, SFP provided me with a strong loving community of families that were seeking help in their parenting just like me. Their sessions helped improve my relationship with my 6 year old. The program gave me weekly reminders on how to better handle every area of parenthood. I felt very encouraged as a single mother when taking the 14 week course. I have taken the program twice because I have practiced their techniques and they have worked. This is one parenting class you and your family want to take!
~ Esmeralda, 2012 (SFP) and 2013 (SCFP) Graduate

SFP 7-17 Class Curriculum with DVD Approved for Listing on SAMHSA National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Policies (NREPP)

This is what the new SFP description says: “A new SFP 7-17 DVD video version is now being tested with high risk families in the regular family group curriculum version, but also a very low cost 12- to 14-week Home or Clinic Use version with excellent outcomes. An SFP family physical activity and nutrition education curriculum also is being tested with Utah and Colorado tribes for the prevention of obesity and diabetes”. http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/ViewIntervention.aspx?id=44

SFP 7-17 Class Curriculum with DVD Approved for Utah State Funding

Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse added SFP 7-17 DVD family group version to their list of approved programs for government funding after an extensive application and review of the research showing better results than for the regular SFP norms.

They also have SFP DVD Handouts available for viewing on their excellent Parents Empowered website at http://www.parentsempowered.org/uploads/downloads/21_SFP_Lesson_9.pdf

Good News on New Strengthening Families Foundation and Corporate Home for SFP

As of March 2015 Ahearn Greene Associates in Washington, D.C. turned the SFP training, evaluation and CD/DVD ordering system back to Drs. Kumpfer and Whiteside to be managed by the new Strengthening Families Foundation and LLC created last year by Jaynie Brown for dissemination of the new SFP 7-17 DVD and curriculum. Trainings can be ordered through Hope Heffernan, SFP Foundation contractor for trainings. See new contact information on the Contact and Ordering page and reduced prices for training workshops. The same excellent trainers are available, but contracted by the Strengthening Families Program, LLC.

Newly published book: Family-Based Prevention Programs for Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Large-Scale Dissemination

Edited by Mark J. Van Ryzin, Karol L. Kumpfer, Gregory M. Fosco, Mark T. Greenberg and published by Psychology Press, the book highlights the distinctive contributions of a set of exemplary programs in terms of their foundational theory, design, delivery mechanisms, performance, and unique opportunities for future research. Each chapter is written by a preeminent program developer. For more information visit: www.psypress.com/9781848724853