Focus on Youth (FOY) is a community-based, eight
session group intervention that provides youth with the skills and
knowledge they need to protect themselves from HIV and other STDs. The
curriculum, founded on the Protection Motivation Theory, uses fun,
interactive activities such as games, role plays and discussions to
convey prevention knowledge and skills.
FOY targets African American youth, ages 12-15. There is also a short component for parents, Informed Parents and Children Together (ImPACT), that assists them in areas such as parental monitoring and effective communication.
Important CDC Update:
The CDC’s strategy for High Impact HIV Prevention involves prioritizing and implementing an optimal combination of cost-effective, scalable interventions based on the current state of the science. This shift should help improve the effectiveness of HIV prevention efforts, reduce HIV incidence, and ultimately increase the possibility of achieving an AIDS-free America. In its ongoing effort to align HIV prevention resources with current surveillance data and this strategy, the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) at CDC will not offer trainings or capacity building assistance on the following evidence-based interventions (EBIs) after April 1, 2013: AIM, ¡Cuídate!, Focus on Youth, Nia, SIHLE, SISTA, and Street Smart. Some health departments or other funders may continue to support implementation of these EBIs, and the implementation materials for all these interventions will remain on www.effectiveinterventions.org and be available for download. If you have additional questions about this issue, please contact interventions@danya.com.
ETR Associates continues a body of work related to Focus on Youth. For further information, please contact Bayla Greenspoon at
1-877-316-7036 and foy247@etr.org.
Special FOY Announcement
Dear Colleagues,
We need facilitators to participate in
free introductory webinars for FOY 24-7 Project! Please visit www.focusonyouth247.com to find out how you can receive free materials and monetary incentives to teach the 8-session HIV-prevention Focus on Youth with ImPACT curriculum. You may also contact Bayla Greenspoon at 1.877.316.7036 or foy247@etr.org.
Need More Information on FOY
ETR Associates continues a body of work related to Focus on Youth (FOY). For further information on how to get free FOY curriculum and a stipend to teach it in early 2013, please contact Bayla Greenspoon at 1.877.316.7036 or foy247@etr.org. For more information, please visit www.focusonyouth247.com.
Research and Development
Galbraith J, Ricardo I, Stanton B, Black M, Feigelman S, Kaljee L. Challenges and rewards of involving community in research: An overview of the "Focus on Kids" AIDS-prevention program. Health Education Quarterly 1996; 23: 383-394.
Li X, Stanton B, Feigelman S, Galbraith J. Three-year cumulative risk behaviors among African American adolescents participating in a trail of an HIV -risk reduction intervention. Journal of the National Medical Association 20002;94:784-796.
Stanton B, Cole M, Galbraith J, Li X, Pendleton S, Cottrel L, Marshall S, Wu Y, Kaljee L. A randomized trial of a parent intervention: Parents can make a difference in long-term adolescent risk behaviors, perceptions and knoledge. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2004;158:947-955.
Stanton B, Fang X, Li X. Feigelman S, Galbraith J, Ricardo I. Evolution of risk behaviors over two years among a cohort of urban African-American adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 1996;25:52-61.
Stanton B, Fitzgerald A, Li X, Shipena H, Ricardo I, Galbraith J, Terreri N, Strijdom J, Hangula-Ndlovu V, Kahihuata J. HIV risk behaviors, intentions and perceptions among Namibian youth as assessed by a theory-based questionnaire. AIDS Education and Prevention 1999;11:132-149.
Stanton B, Li X, Ricardo I, Galbraith J, Feigelman S, Kaljee L. A randomized controlled effectiveness trial of an AIDS prevention program for low-income African-American youth. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 1996; 150:363-372.
Wu Y, Stanton B, Galbraith J, Kaljee L, Cottrell L, Li X, Harris CV, D'Alessandri D, Burns JM. Sustaning and broadening intervention impact: A randomized controlled trial of three adolescent risk reduction intervention approaches. Pediatrics 2003;111 (1):e32-8.
Program Review Panel Information
The CDC requires all CDC-funded agencies using the Focus on Youth with ImPACT intervention to identify, or establish, and utilize a Program Review Panel and complete Form 0.1113 to document this activity. The intervention researchers and developers are not involved in this activity. This is a CDC requirement for their grantees, and all questions in this regard should be directed to your agency's CDC Project Officer or to the health department funding your agency's implementation of the intervention.
The Program Review Panel guidelines, instructions for completion of Form 0.113, and the form itself are available under the Related Linkssection of this website.
CDC Policy on Youth Peer Outreach Workers
CDC funded (directly or indirectly) agencies using youth (either paid or volunteer) in program outreach activities, it is very important that said organizations use caution and judgement in the venues/situations where youth workers are placed. Agencies should give careful consideration to the "age appropriateness" of the activity or venue. Additionally, agencies should comply with all relevant laws and regulations regarding entrance into adult establishments/environments. Laws and curfews should be clearly outlined in required safety protocols developed and implemented by agencies directly and indirectly funded by CDC.
If you have specific questions, please contact your CDC project officer.