Evidence2Success in Action: In Alabama, State Grant Expands a Proven Program
Selma, Alabama, is one of six communities implementing the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Evidence2Success™ framework, which combines public health and prevention science to improve well-being for young people.
The partnership recently received a $50,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Commerce to support and expand the use of the Strong African American Families program — a culturally responsive model for strengthening family interactions and reducing risky adolescent behaviors.
“This grant is an important milestone for Selma,” says Amoretta Morris, director of the Casey Foundation’s national community strategies. “One of the primary goals of Evidence2Success is to expand tested and effective programs for youth in low-income neighborhoods, and that’s exactly what this funding will do. We’re excited to see that Selma’s great work is gaining traction.”
Selma is using the Strong African American Families program to help young people referred from the juvenile justice system deal with challenges identified through local Youth Experience Survey data. These challenges include: a perceived risk of drug use, friends with antisocial behavior and poor family management.
The five other communities carrying out the Evidence2Success framework are Kearns Township in Salt Lake County, Utah; Mobile, Alabama; Providence, Rhode Island; Liberty City in Miami, Florida; and South City in Memphis, Tennessee. In all six locations, public system and resident leaders are coming together to gather data, identify priorities and then shift public funding to address these priorities using proven programs.
