Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience in this reporting period included youth participants of the school-based Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) and parent and youth participants of the family-based Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP). All four PROSPER Florida rural counties implemented LST this year, with 540 participants across nine schools. Recruitment for the SFP program during the second year of the project was focused on parents and youth in two counties who would be implementing the SFP 10-14 Program for the first time. These efforts were successful as we had 14 families participate in the seven-week program. In addition, we recruited administrators, professionals, and advocates in each county who joined the county prevention teams (called local PROSPER teams) in each county. Team sizes vary depending on community needs and participation. Hamilton has eight members, Lafayette has ten, Madison has seven, and Taylor has five. Community residents were also the target audience for awareness-building activities conducted by the PROSPER teams in their local communities. Awareness-building activities are described in a separate section, but primarily included displays at school and county events, where brochures and fact sheets were available to parents and county residents with an interest in the Florida PROSPERs project. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The major training that occurred this year was the SFP 10-14 facilitator training. This is a three-day, intensive training facilitated by an SFP-certified trainer from ISU. Potential SFP facilitators were recruited from all four counties, with some facilitators taking the training a second time to remain able to sustainably continue to offer the program. In total, 18 members of the PROSPER Florida team participated in the facilitator training. In addition to this major training effort, members of the Florida PROSPER team completed the required Responsible Conduct of Research training, and state-mandated trainings in youth protection and mandatory reporting. The PROSPER Network at ISU also provided professional development focused on Team Building and understanding their Local PROSPER Team member survey. A member of our state PROSPER team participated in two different website development trainings specific to our new Florida PROSPERs website that was created during this reporting period. The training courses were presented by the University of Florida T4 and UF/IFAS Communications. These trainings allow our team member to continually make changes to our website without needing to request outside support. This allows us flexibility to update our website as desired to fit the needs of our team. PROSPER Florida state and local teams participated in regular meetings to collaborate and coordinate activities at all levels to ensure continued progress monitoring. State Management meetings have occurred roughly once each month, totaling 9 times. Technical Assistance Provider meetings between the state specialists and local team leaders occur generally twice a month, with summer meetings scheduled less frequently due to 4-H Extension agent involvement in summer camps. And finally, at the county level, the Local Teams have met for PROSPER team meetings frequently over the last year, with the two newest counties meeting more often. Madison and Taylor met twice each; Hamilton and Lafayette met four times in each country. Most recently, Hamilton County held a year-in-review meeting where the Local PROSPER team reviewed the results of the two EBIs and planned for the next year. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PROSPER Florida website is now officially created and able to be used by all members of our State and Local Teams. We have photos and videos from multiple local teams showcasing their successful programming. Furthermore, our evaluation team has provided the Local PROSPER teams with presentations featuring the results from their EBIs. This allows the local community to see the real impact PROSPER is making in their community. In addition, we had multiple professional presentations to share the successes of the project with state and national audiences. First, at the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NEA4-HYDP) our team presented "Celebrating Family Connections and Success Utilizing Strengthening Families Program 10-14". Then we were represented by Dr. Dale Pracht at the Southern Rural Sociological Association where he presented "Florida PROSPERs: Lessons Learned on Capacity-Building in Rural Florida Communities. Finally, Dr. Jeneé Duncan presented the poster "Partnerships in Family-Based Prevention Programming: Implementation of the Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 10-14 Program" at the 2025 Extension Professional Associations Of Florida/Extension Symposium Conference where we also shared of the opportunity to become involved in PROSPER Florida and get trained as a SFP 10-14 facilitator. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Specifically, there are two major objectives the teams will focus on in year three: Goal 3: Obj 2: Increase the capacity of Florida CES for EBI implementation and dissemination through statewide in-service trainings (e.g., train-the-trainer) and mentoring. We are currently collaborating with another state Extension specialist with funding to expand the capacity and reach of SFP 10-14 in Florida. This collaboration is in early stages and will provide us an opportunity to more broadly implement a train-the-trainer program and extend mentoring in additional counties. Goal 3, Obj 3: Develop and implement a statewide PROSPER sustainability plan focused on promoting a culture of behavioral health within Florida CES, improving professional development, and cultivating new avenues for financial/resource development. We are preparing a sustainability training for all PROSPER team leaders, which will provide them with tailored activities to begin both short and long-term sustainability planning. Sustainability planning with each local team will occur during this third year of implementation and will be described in the project final report.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The aim of PROSPER (PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience) Florida 2.0 is to maintain and expand the multi-tiered support system that includes University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) state specialists and prevention experts who collaborate and support rural local teams that are led by a county Extension agent. PROSPER Florida is a community-based approach that is designed specifically for use in the Cooperative Extension System (CES). This year, the primary focus was on implementing programs and maintaining support for the community. The Local PROSPER teams worked together to offer valuable assistance and guidance to our Local PROSPER Team Leaders in the implementation of evidence-informed programs, and the State team continued to provide support for ensuring sustainability. ?1.1:The evidence shows that we have dedicated local PROSPER teams that believe in our programs and the positive impact they are having on their communities. A PROSPER Team Member survey was conducted among the local PROSPER team members in Lafayette and Hamilton counties. Team members reported that they "feel Extension is doing a great job of meeting the needs of youth and families in the community," and "Extension is committed to fostering school-and community-based prevention programs." Most team members also indicated, "Extension is contributing in a significant way to the lives of youth and families in the community." A PROSPER Network Coach held an hour-long virtual training focused on the team member results, with participation from team leaders in Hamilton and Lafayette Counties. Leaders were able to thoroughly review their results, reflect on past performance, and plan for the future of their local teams. 1.2:Efforts this year contributed to more effective communication about PROSPER Florida programs in the local communities. Flyers, brochures, and banners were distributed to local teams to support awareness-building efforts for the PROSPER Florida and the EBI programs, as well as to aid in recruitment. Notably, the retractable banners were prominently displayed at various tabling events throughout the year and attracted visitors from across the county. For example, in one county, at just one health fair for school staff, district leadership, and teachers, 115 individuals stopped to talk with a Local PROSPER Team Leader and Program Assistant about SFP 10-14 and LST. Of those conversations, 50 signed up to receive more information about our programs. Additionally, a Florida PROSPERs website was published, which included informational videos and contact information for local PROSPER teams. 1.3:We hosted one major professional development training during this reporting year. The SFP 10-14 facilitator training is a three-day, intensive training facilitated by a SFP-certified trainer from Iowa State University (ISU). Each of the four counties recruited potential SFP facilitators. In total, 18 members of the PROSPER Florida team participated in the facilitator training. Three were trained a second time to be eligible for recertification, and the other fifteen were trained for the first time. 1.4:Nothing to report. The development and implementation of a PROSPER sustainability plan will be accomplished during year three of the project. 2.1:Implementation of the two EBIs programs was the core focus of Year Two. The Local Teams successfully delivered LST and SFP 10-14 programs in three counties and piloted a 5th-grade version of the LST program in another county. LST in Madison, Hamilton and Lafayette saw 351 middle-school students participate and in Taylor county 189 elementary school students participated. SFP 10-14 was implemented in Madison, Hamilton and Lafayette Counties, had 14 families participate. 2.2:Counties were successful at soliciting local resources to support their programs. One county documented $1298 in donations to cover costs associated with the SFP 10-14 program implementation, and a second county documented $2593 in donations for the overall PROSPER Florida project. In addition, one of the mentor counties estimated that $30,326 was provided by the Board of County Commissioners from opioid settlement funds to support and sustain the PROSPER Florida project in their county, and an additional $570 in support was donated by other community members. 2.3:We conducted both a process and outcome evaluation of the LST and SFP 10-14 programs. Outcome data were collected at the end of each program using a post-then pre retrospective research design. The PROSPER Network at ISU assisted with a process (fidelity) evaluation of each program. The results of the fidelity evaluation indicated that all PROSPER Florida programs were presented with fidelity. Across all four counties, Florida received a 97% Adherence to Curriculum score for SFP 10-14 and 98% for LST. Furthermore, the PROSPER Network provided Implementation Quality scores. For SFP 10-14, on a 4-point scale, Florida averaged 3.85 on Group Engagement, 3.96 on Facilitator Management, and 4.0 on Facilitator Interaction. For LST, on a 4-point scale, Florida averaged 3.61 on Student Engagement, 3.9 on Material Delivery, and 3.81 on Lesson Management. Pre- and post-comparisons using dependent samples t-test showed statistically significant results for the LST outcome measures (N=268). After participating in LST, students': 1) anti-alcohol and anti-vape attitudes increased; 2) life skills scores and relaxation scores increased; and 3) self-control scores increased. The pilot elementary school program also showed success. Results were statistically significant, indicating students': 1) life skills scores increased; 2) anti-alcohol and anti-cigarette smoking attitudes increased; and 3) relaxation scores increased after participating in the LST program. Pre- and post-comparisons using dependent samples t-test showed statistically significant results with parents (N=12) who participated in the SFP 10-14. Parents reported improvements in parental monitoring, relationship quality, positive parenting, family problem-solving, expectations for youth, and communication. In addition, parents provided written feedback that the program improved family communication, increased family fun, and promoted feelings of being more prepared for the teen years. 3.1:Members of the State Team, in collaboration with IFAS Communications at the University of Florida, are finalizing a program report titled, "Florida PROSPERs: Strengthening Youth and Families." The report summarizes the Florida PROSPER project, including the development, implementation, and evaluation of the two EBI programs, LST and SFP 10-14. The report is intended for the project directors and state and local team leaders to more effectively communicate the successes and potential opportunities of Florida PROSPER to the broader Florida Cooperative Extension System (CES). As further evidence of its impact on Florida CES, the PROSPER Florida team was honored with the 2025 FAE4-HA Excellence in Healthy Living Award for "Building Resilient Communities: Strengthening Healthy Living Partnerships". 3.2:This year, we were able to offer in-service training in the SFP 10-14 program, training facilitators from across the state. We also partnered with the team directing the Florida CYFAR project to further expand the SFP 10-14 programming in Florida. A total of 18 people from five different counties attended the facilitator training. 3.3:While sustainability planning begins in earnest next year, a first step in statewide PROSPER sustainability was the development of a website. Members of our team worked with UF/IFAS Communications here at UF to develop a Florida PROSPERs website. The website launched in January 2025: https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-prospers/. The website is linked through a QR code on our printed materials and is also used to recruit participants for our EBI programs.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience in this reporting period included the PROSPER team leaders, professionals, and advocates who joined the county prevention teams (called local PROSPER teams) in each county, county Extension agents from across the state, and local community residents. For local PROSPER teams, the goal of the project's first year was to train the PROSPER team leaders to implement the PROSPER delivery systems in each county. PROSPER team leader trainings were conducted by prevention specialists from the PROSPER Network. PROSPER team leaders also began recruiting members for the local PROSPER teams. Membership in each county team included the PROSPER Team Leader (4-H agent), a 4-H program assistant, a local health department liaison, and a school district liaison. Other members include professionals from regional substance use prevention coalitions, community advocates, faith-based leaders, and parents. For county Extension agents, a presentation on PROSPER and the Botvin Life Skills Training (BLST) program was conducted at an annual state Extension conference to introduce PROSPER to Florida Extension. Participants included both 4-H and family and consumer science Extension agents interested in youth prevention programs. Community residents were the target audience for awareness-building activities conducted by the PROSPER team leaders in their local communities. PROSPER awareness-building activities included tabling and presentations at events such as 4-H/Family Consumer Science Advisory Board Meeting, School District Health Fair, and Parent Open House nights at local schools. Changes/Problems:All four of the rural project counties weresignificantly affected by several hurricanes during and just after the reporting period. The cleanup and restoration efforts will require ongoing commitment; however, the local PROSPER teams remaindedicated and resilient in the face of this adversity. No significant delays in implementation have occurred. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been several opportunities for professional development and ongoing learning. SMT and local PROSPER team members participated in training sessions provided by the PROSPER Network at ISU. These sessions focused on the effective implementation of the PROSPER delivery system and included the following topics: PROSPER Orientation, Ground Rules and Team Member Orientation, PROSPER Prevention Programs, Resource Generation, and Resource Tracking. In addition, new PROSPER team leaders and members completed the BLST instructor training, which is necessary for implementing, facilitating, and ensuring fidelity to the program. Seven members from the new local PROSPER teams and one member from the SMT were trained to facilitate BLST. This training lasted approximately six hours and was conducted online to certify instructors and fidelity observers who would deliver the programming to 6th graders in the middle schools. Furthermore, the PROSPER team leaders, program assistants, and new SMT members completed the University of Florida training required for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, including the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. The PROSPER delivery system also requires regular team meetings to promote collaboration and coordination and monitor progress. State-level meetings have occurred roughly once every other month, totaling six times. PROSPER team leader meetings with the Technical Assistance Provider (TAP) have occurred generally twice a month, with a few canceled due to inclement weather. Finally, local PROSPER team meetings have occurred three times in each new county. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The next steps for the local PROSPER teams involve continuing their awareness-building efforts and attracting support for the PROSPER partnership model in Florida. New printed materials will be developed to facilitate this, and an approved website will be created. Additionally, continued training will be provided in the second year. A multi-day training session for the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP) is scheduled for Spring 2025. The PROSPER Florida State Management Team plans to extend this opportunity to local PROSPER teams as well as to additional Extension agents in Florida who are interested. This training will enhance our team's skills and provide an excellent opportunity to collaborate and network with the broader Cooperative Extension System (CES) in Florida. Specifically, there are two major objectives the teams will focus on in year two: 1.4: In Year Two, along with implementing the two evidence-based interventions, a key focus will be sustainability planning. The local PROSPER teams will meet and, with assistance from their Technical Assistance Providers and members of the State Management Team, will develop a sustainability plan. Additionally, they will receive training on sustainability planning from the PROSPER Network at ISU. 2.3: During the implementation of the BLST program in Fall 2024 and SFP in Spring 2025, local fidelity observations and outcome evaluations will be conducted and analyzed by the State Management Team and PROSPER evaluator. Results will be broadly shared with the local PROSPER teams and the Florida CES.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: The aim of PROSPER (PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience) Florida 2.0 is to maintain and expand the multi-tiered PROSPER support system in the state of Florida. The multi-tiered system includes University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) state Extension and prevention specialists who collaborate and support rural local PROSPER teams led by county Extension agents. This community-based approach is designed specifically for use in the Cooperative Extension System (CES). The project builds upon two existing local PROSPER teams whose leaders now serve as mentors to two new counties. It is anticipated that the four counties will form a resource hub in Florida designed to assist rural communities in combating the opioid epidemic and preparing youth for a constantly changing world. In the first year of the PROSPER Florida 2.0 initiative, several key accomplishments were made that significantly contributed to the project's success. These accomplishments enhanced the engagement of local leaders and stakeholders, provided training for local PROSPER leaders, and increased community awareness of PROSPER Florida's goals and initiatives. Accomplishments by goal and objective 1.1: Year one marks the development phase of the PROSPER delivery system, with one of the primary aims being the development of a sustainable and committed local PROSPER team in the two new counties. PROSPER team leaders sought to recruit three liaisons from several important community institutions: school, health, and mental health. To engage these key stakeholders, members of the State Management Team (SMT) traveled to the two new counties to facilitate the introduction of the PROSPER program and to aid in recruiting local PROSPER team members, explaining how they can play an important role in the team. At the end of these meetings, participants expressed their desire to participate. Both counties hired program assistants to help organize and facilitate local efforts. The PROSPER team leader and program assistants completed all required training to be employed by the University and participate in research. Furthermore, each county's PROSPER team leader and program assistants participated in the PROSPER orientation and training provided by the PROSPER Network out of Iowa State University (ISU). Finally, the local PROSPER teams have begun discussions about their unique missions and visions, which align with the overarching goals of PROSPER in Florida. Further support for this has been provided through the PROSPER Network at ISU, which has provided valuable resources for team meetings, such as presentation slides, handouts, and guidance on developing unique mission and vision statements for each county. All these resources are available to the entire PROSPER Florida team through a Microsoft Teams group. 1.2: With guidance from PROSPER team leaders, the SMT created multiple awareness-building materials for dissemination at events. These included a tri-fold brochure, a one-page informational flyer, county-specific flyers highlighting social media pages, and event display posters. These materials have been used to increase community awareness of the problems we are working to prevent, such as substance misuse, while promoting positive behaviors like family connectedness, personal self-management skills, and healthy communication. Each county has actively promoted PROSPER at multiple tabling events, including health fairs and parent open houses. The PROSPER team leader in Hamilton County has been especially successful in promoting PROSPER programming, attending five events, and talking to over 400 community members about PROSPER in Florida. 1.3: To enhance the capacity of local PROSPER teams to implement evidence-based interventions (EBI) in schools and communities, seven local PROSPER team members and one member from the SMT have been trained to facilitate the BLST program, a classroom-based EBI. The trained local PROSPER team members include county Extension agents, program assistants, school staff, and health department personnel. 1.4: Nothing to report in year one. 2.1: The local PROSPER teams in the two new counties have developed a plan to implement the selected school-based EBI, Botvin Life Skills Training (BLST), in all 6th-grade classrooms within the local school districts. This initiative will begin in August of the 2024-25 school year and run through December 2024. For the first year of implementation, the program will be led by local PROSPER team leaders and program assistants who have completed the necessary training to deliver the program effectively and with fidelity. Planning for the second EBI, Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP), remains in the early stages of development and will be fully planned and implemented in year two. 2.2: The local PROSPER teams have started discussing strategies for soliciting community support to implement the two selected evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for schools and families. The public school districts in each county have approved the implementation of the BLST program in all 6th-grade classrooms, along with the program evaluation protocol. Preliminary discussions have started regarding the needs of the SFP program, which will be implemented in year two, with one county school district offering to provide transportation to encourage family participation. 2.3: An evaluation plan has been developed for implementing BLST in each county and has received approval from the university IRB. The evaluation procedures will be implemented, including process and outcome data collection, in year two. 3.1: To increase awareness of the PROSPER project within the Florida Cooperative Extension System (CES), the SMT has established a collaborative relationship with the new Associate Dean for Extension Families, Youth, and Communities at the university. The associate dean is knowledgeable about partnership-based behavioral health models in CES and strongly supports the PROSPER project. A strategy is being developed to promote PROSPER among other CES leaders throughout the state. 3.2: To enhance Florida's CES's capacity to implement partnership-based behavioral health models, PROSPER team members presented the findings from the initial PROSPER project evaluation to approximately 10 CES educators during the state Extension professionals meeting. Additionally, mentors from the original PROSPER projects collaborated closely with the PROSPER team leaders from two new counties, sharing best practices and lessons learned in real-time as these new leaders developed their local PROSPER teams, plans, and programs. This support has proven invaluable, as the mentors' extensive knowledge was accessible to the entire team while they strategized for implementation. The mentors also continued their PROSPER efforts in their own communities, further enabling youth and families to benefit from the implementation of EBIs. 3.3: Nothing to report in year one.
Publications
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