Focus on Youth (FOY) is a community-based, eight session group intervention that provides youth with the skills and knowledge they need to protect themselves from HIV and other STDs. The curriculum, founded on the Protection Motivation Theory, uses fun, interactive activities such as games, role plays and discussions to convey prevention knowledge and skills.

FOY targets African American youth, ages 12-15. There is also a short component for parents, Informed Parents and Children Together (ImPACT), that assists them in areas such as parental monitoring and effective communication.

Training Information

Focus on Youth with (ImPACT) training is for community-based organizations, health departments and youth-serving organizations working with African-American youth.

Training Dates & Locations

Training of Trainers (TOT)

A Focus on Youth TOT for Health Department and Capacity Building Provider trainers will be scheduled for Spring 2009. Participation in a Focus on Youth TOF will be a prerequisite for participation in the TOT.

Training of Facilitators (TOF) trainings:

• February 23-27, 2009 (Los Angeles, CA)
  To register and for more info. please click here to print and complete the application. Space is limited so please fax your completed application to the attention of Teree Jerome /ETR Associations (510) 645-1879 no later than January 16, 2009. 
• March 9-13, 2009 (Nashville, TN) (Registration opens on January 2nd)

For additional training information, please email: interventions@aed.org with FOY in the subject line or you may call (800) 462-9521. 

To receive email alerts about upcoming trainings, please click here or the "Apply for Training" tab at the top of the page.

For more information about Focus on Youth with (ImPACT), please visit ETR Associates at  www.etr.org/foy/

Research and Development

Galbraith J, Ricardo I, Stanton B, Black M, Feigelman S, Kaljee L. Challenges and rewards of involving community in research: An overview of the "Focus on Kids" AIDS-prevention program. Health Education Quarterly 1996; 23: 383-394.

Li X, Stanton B, Feigelman S, Galbraith J. Three-year cumulative risk behaviors among African American adolescents participating in a trail of an HIV -risk reduction intervention. Journal of the National Medical Association 20002;94:784-796.

Stanton B, Cole M, Galbraith J, Li X, Pendleton S, Cottrel L, Marshall S, Wu Y, Kaljee L. A randomized trial of a parent intervention: Parents can make a difference in long-term adolescent risk behaviors, perceptions and knoledge. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2004;158:947-955.

Stanton B, Fang X, Li X. Feigelman S, Galbraith J, Ricardo I. Evolution of risk behaviors over two years among a cohort of urban African-American adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 1996;25:52-61.

Stanton B, Fitzgerald A, Li X, Shipena H, Ricardo I, Galbraith J, Terreri N, Strijdom J, Hangula-Ndlovu V, Kahihuata J. HIV risk behaviors, intentions and perceptions among Namibian youth as assessed by a theory-based questionnaire. AIDS Education and Prevention 1999;11:132-149.

Stanton B, Li X, Ricardo I, Galbraith J, Feigelman S, Kaljee L. A randomized controlled effectiveness trial of an AIDS prevention program for low-income African-American youth. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 1996; 150:363-372.

Wu Y, Stanton B, Galbraith J, Kaljee L, Cottrell L, Li X, Harris CV, D'Alessandri D, Burns JM. Sustaning and broadening intervention impact: A randomized controlled trial of three adolescent risk reduction intervention approaches. Pediatrics 2003;111 (1):e32-8.

Program Review Panel Information

The CDC requires all CDC-funded agencies using the Focus on Youth with ImPACT intervention to identify, or establish, and utilize a Program Review Panel and complete Form 0.1113 to document this activity. The intervention researchers and developers are not involved in this activity. This is a CDC requirement for their grantees, and all questions in this regard should be directed to your agency's CDC Project Officer or to the health department funding your agency's implementation of the intervention.

The Program Review Panel guidelines, instructions for completion of Form 0.113, and the form itself are available under the Related Links section of this website.

CDC Policy on Youth Peer Outreach Workers

CDC funded (directly or indirectly) agencies using youth (either paid or volunteer) in program outreach activities, it is very important that said organizations use caution and judgement in the venues/situations where youth workers are placed. Agencies should give careful consideration to the "age appropriateness" of the activity or venue. Additionally, agencies should comply with all relevant laws and regulations regarding entrance into adult establishments/environments. Laws and curfews should be clearly outlined in required safety protocols developed and implemented by agencies directly and indirectly funded by CDC.

If you have specific questions, please contact your CDC project officer.