Quarterly Performance Report: July – September 2016

The program aimed to provide evidence-based Youth Service Eligibility Tool (YSET) diagnostics to families with members between ages 8 to 17. A total of 2,000 families were referred to Proponte Más for diagnostics by formal and informal community systems in the five target municipalities. Of these referrals, 68 percent (1,479) of the families were identified at the primary level of risk, 24 percent (533) were identified at a secondary level of risk, and the remaining 8 percent (173) were identified at the tertiary level. The tertiary population consisted of more than 130 families with members at a tertiary level of risk receiving family systems intervention through Proponte Más. Approximately 80% of the families identified by the YSET-I at a tertiary level of risk have voluntarily accepted to participate in the process of intervention. Families with members identified at the primary level of risk were congratulated and encouraged to participate in existing primary prevention youth development programs. The index youth in these families will be re-evaluated through a YSET-R 6 months after the initial YSET diagnostic to determine if risk factors have increased or decreased. Families with one or more members at a secondary level of risk were offered the Proponte Más 7-phase family systems intervention for one year. The intervention included two family meetings, one group activity, and one individual meeting each month. As of September 30, 2016, approximately 96% of youth identified at secondary-level were receiving family systems interventions. More than 55% of these families have completed phase 3 of the first cycle of the intervention model. The Proponte Más family counselors work is deeply embedded in the internal dynamics of families that are at the highest levels of risk for joining gangs. Field consultations were conducted to help counselors and strategy teams develop the capacity to effectively manage the unexpected complications that arise once they enter a family. The field consultations were designed to build the capacity of the strategy teams to function as a unit, manage complications quicker and more effectively, reinforce the fidelity of the model, transfer technical knowledge, and promote professional development. The technical team conducted field consultations to support the Proponte Más family counselors in their work with families at the highest levels of risk for joining gangs. The Proponte Más program has made significant progress in implementing its technical activities and providing evidence-based interventions to families at risk. The program's focus on family systems intervention and its use of the YSET diagnostic tool have been effective in identifying and addressing the needs of families with members at risk of joining gangs. The program's commitment to building the capacity of its staff and strategy teams has also been critical to its success.