HELPING AMERICA’S YOUTH PROGRAM TOOL NOMINATION INSTRUCTIONS

Program Eligibility

Programs must focus on a youth population. A youth is defined as anyone under the age of 18. A program is eligible if it serves both youths and adults. Programs must focus on one or more of the following problem behaviors:

Academic Problems

Aggression/Violence

Alcohol,Tobacco and Other Drug Use

Delinquency

Family Functioning

Gang Activity

Sexual Activity/Exploitation

Trauma Exposure

Eligible programs may address these problem behaviors at any point along the continuum of youth services -- from prevention and intervention through residential care to reentry. However, an eligible program must explicitly aim to prevent or reduce one or more problem behaviors for an at-risk population.

Minimum Evidence Requirements

The program must be evaluated with at least a quasi-experimental research design. Non-experimental and case study designs are excluded.

The program evaluation must demonstrate one or more positive outcomes. The program evaluation results must be published in a peer-reviewed publication or documented in a comprehensive evaluation report.

The program evaluation must document the program implementation (i.e., the fidelity of the program).

Review Process

An application submitted online will receive an email notification acknowledging the receipt of the submission within 24 hours after receiving all the required materials. An application submitted via mail will receive an email notification acknowledging the receipt of the submission within 30 days of the receiving the required materials. The person submitting the nomination will receive the notification.

Programs will be reviewed on a rolling basis in order to keep the HAY Tool Web site as current as possible. A triage system will segregate programs into three categories based on their potential for inclusion. Category 1 includes those programs that do not meet the prima facie evidence standard to warrant inclusion in the HAY Tool. In order to establish prima facie evidence, a program must at least meet the minimum requirement. The programs in this category will be notified by the administrative staff that there is not enough evidence to support including it in the HAY Tool. Category 2 programs minimally meet the prima facie evidence for inclusion. The programs in this category will be initially reviewed internally by a set of Ph.D. level reviewers from DSG to validate the prima facie evidence. If the evidence is validated by the internal reviewers, a review package will be assembled and sent to the external peer review panel. Category 3 programs clearly meet the minimum requirements.A review package will be assembled immediately and sent to the external review panel.The peer review process includes a three-person review panel that will consist of two external subject matter experts and a Ph.D.– level researcher from DSG.

Submissions will be reviewed and scored along several dimensions, including:

The degree to which the program is based on a clear, well-articulated conceptual framework
The degree to which the program was implemented as designed.
The ability of the research design to establish a causal association between the treatment and outcome.
The degree to which the evaluation findings support the program treatment.
The entire review process typically takes several months.

If you have any issues concerning your submission, please contact:

Dr. Stephen Gies
Deputy Project Director
Model Programs Guide
Development Services Group, Inc.
7315 Wisconsin Ave.
Suite 800 East
Bethesda, MD 20814
sgies@dsgonline.com

Nomination Instructions

Follow the steps below to submit a program nomination:

Step 1. Fill out the online nomination submission form below. Please be sure to specify the title of the program.

Step 2. Email all relevant peer-reviewed publications or reports and any documentation (e.g., manuals, process guides, tools, training materials) that describes the details of the program to Stephen Gies (click here). Include the program title as the subject. click here

Step 3. Be sure to click "Submit Nomination" after completing the form below and uploading any attachments.

Program Title:
Name of Person Submitting Nomination:
Organization:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
Email:
Fax:

	AGE:




	PROGRAM TYPE:
	Academic Skills Enhancement Aftercare Afterschool/Recreation Alcohol and Drug Therapy / Education Alternative Schools Behavior Management Classroom Curricula Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Community and Problem-Oriented Policing Community Awareness / Mobilization Conflict Resolution / Interpersonal Skills Conflict Resolution / Peer Mediation Correctional Facility Counseling Day Treatment Drug Court Family Therapy Gang Prevention Group Home Gun Court Home Confinement w/wo EM Intensive Supervision Leadership and Youth Development Mentoring Other Community Approaches Parent Training Peer Mediation Prevention Curricula Prevention Services Probation Services Reentry Court Residential Treatment Center Restitution/Community Service Restorative Justice School Based Probation School/Classroom Environment Secure Care Teen/Youth Court Therapeutic Treatment Therapuetic Shelter Truancy Prevention Victim–Offender Mediation Vocational/Job Training Wilderness Camp Wraparound / Case Management Wraparound / Multimodal



	TARGET POPULATION: (Check all that apply)
	Females First-Time Offenders Mentally Ill Offenders Less Serious Offender Serious Offenders Sex Offenders Status Offender Truant/Dropout Young OffenderIf Other (specify):



	ETHNICITY: (Check all that apply)
	American Indian or Alaska Native Asian African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Hispanic or Latino (of any race) White OtherIf Other (specify):



	PROBLEMS: (Check all that apply)
	Academic Problems Aggression/Violence Alcohol,Tobacco and Other Drug Use Delinquency Family Functioning Gang Activity Sexual Activity/Exploitation Trauma Exposure



	SETTINGS: (Check all that apply)
	Rural Suburban Urban Tribal



	GENDER:

HAY RISK FACTORS: (Check all that apply)

Community:

Availability of alcohol and other drugs
Availability of firearms
Community crime/high crime neighborhood
Social and physical disorder/disorganized neighborhood
Community instability
Low community attachment
Economic deprivation/ poverty/residence in a disadvantaged neighborhood
Neighborhood youth in trouble
Feeling unsafe in the neighborhood

Peer:

Gang involvement /Gang membership
Peer alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and/or delinquency
Association with delinquent/ aggressive peers
Peer rejection

School:

Low academic achievement
Low binding / low school attachment / commitment to school
Inadequate school climate/ poorly organized and functioning schools/ negative labeling by teachers
Dropping out of school
Identified as learning disabled
School suspensions
Truancy/ frequent absences
Low academic aspirations
Low parent college expectations for child
Frequent school transitions

Family:

Family history of problems behavior / parent criminality
Family management problems/ poor parental superivsion and/or monitoring
Child victimization and maltreatment
Pattern of high family conflict
Pattern of family attachment/ bonding
Family violence
Having a young mother
Broken home
Sibling antisocial behavior
Family transitions
Low parent education level/ literacy
Parental use of physical punishment/ harsh and/or erratic discipline practices
Maternal depression

Individual:

Antisocial behavior & alienation
Gun possession/ illegal gun ownership/ carrying
Teen parenthood
Favorable attitude toward drug use
Early onset of aggression/ violence
Early onset of AOD use/ alcohol or drug use
Victimization and exposure to violence
Lack of guilt or empathy
Poor refusal skills
Life stressors
Early sexual involvement
Mental disorder/ mental health problem / conduct disorder Intellectual and developmental disabilities

HAY PROTECTIVE FACTORS: (Check all that apply)

Community:

Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults
Prosocial opportunities for Participation/ availability of neighborhood resources
High expectations of youth
Safe environment/ low neighborhood crime
Nondisadvantaged neighborhoods
Rewards for prosocial community involvement
Clear social norms/ policies with sanctions for violations and rewards for compliance

Peer:

Involvement with positive peer group activities
Good relationships with peers
Parental approval of friends

School:

Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults
High expectations of youth
High quality schools/ clear standards and rules
Opportunities for prosocial school Involvement
Strong school motivation/ positive attitude toward school
Student bonding (attachment to teachers, belief commitment)
Above average academic achievment/ reading and math skills
Rewards for prosocial school invovlement

Family:

Effective Parenting
Good relationship with parents/ bonding or attachment to family
Opportunities for prosocial family involvement
Having a stable family
High expectations of youth

Individual:

Social competencies and problem solving skills
Positive/resilent temperament
Religiosity/ involvement in organized religious activities
Self-efficacy
Positive expectations/ optimism for the future
High expectations for youth
Healthy/ conventional beliefs and clear standards
Perception of social support from adults and peers