Comprehensive Parenting Program Initiative utilizes evidence based models including: Nurturing Families and Fathers, Guiding Good Choices Programs, and Parenting Wisely. This program provides high risk families with resources they need to be successful in keeping children safe in their families and communities, maintaining stable and economically independent families, and keeping children healthy. Classes are offered at schools, homeless shelters, addiction centers, and anywhere there is a need. The programs are flexible, diverse, and nurturing. Families can attend group-based programs, home-based programs, or a combination of group and home based sessions. Lessons on DVD's, parent handbooks, and assessment inventories will be used to promote individual and family growth.

• What has worked well?:The classes that are conducted at a facility like the Jail, C4CS or Diakonia have been very well attended and well received.
• What needs improvement?: Follow up when parents are finished program, need more long term goals
• Plans for improving?: Follow up with a few parents to understand better their post class needs and devise an overall strategy
• Other note(s):more individual attention is serving the parents better and has become much more effective in order to follow up and provide services. The parents need to truly connect and trust the instructor in order to turn the curve with these families.

Parents whose children are in CINA (Child in Need of Assistance) court and those at high risk of maltreatment and/or removal from the home as identified by the Department of Social Services. The program will target the selective and indicated populations as identified by the Institue of Medicine's categories for prevention programming. These are high risk individuals that may already be engaged in unhealthy or illegal activities.

Impact of Incarceration and Disconnected Youth