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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Averette Mhoon Parker, MD, ARCH Institute, Inc., P. O. Box 9872, Washington, DC 20016, 202-362-4550, ARCHInstitute@aol.com, Warren A. Rhodes, PhD, ADIA Research & Evaluation Associates, Inc., 4 Niblick Court, Dover, DE 19904, and Ronald J. Peters, DrPH, School of Public Health/Center for Health Promotion & Prevention Research, University of Texas at Houston, 7000 Fannin, Room 2618, Houston, TX 77030.

CAYA Substance Abuse Prevention and HIV Prevention Media Initiative is a SAMHSA/CSAP-funded effort targeting preventive interventions to the youth of St. Croix, USVI. CAYA Media Project integrates two SAMHSA model prevention curricula (Focus on Kids and Project Alert) into a single curriculum, utilizing characteristically Crucian cultural elements to enhance effectiveness of the prevention messages and to enhance participant knowledge and appreciation of Crucian history and culture. ARCH Institute, Inc., the CSAP grantee, designed this culturally-specific prevention approach to address individual and community prevention needs elucidated during focus groups and interviews with community stakeholders in this sorely underserved United States territory.

CAYA Media Project initially targets 6th-grade students, involving them in a 10-week program of weekly sessions in which they acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to avoid substance use and sexual behaviors that put youth at risk for HIV/AIDS. The ‘academic' segments of these weekly sessions incorporate Crucian dialect and customs, and are conducted by practicing health professionals. The cultural arts segment, conducted by respected local artists and historians, instructs participants in traditional crafts, games, art forms and history.

CAYA Media Project has now expanded to incorporate a media training component for graduates of the 10-week program. This new component trains youth to create broadcast quality video recordings as a medium for celebrating Crucian culture and effectively communicating prevention messages.

This presentation describes the CAYA Media Project, in operation for two years now, as well as findings from the program's process and outcome evaluations to date.

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion of the session, participants will recognize the potential benefit of a culturally-appropriate substance abuse and HIV preventive intervention that incorporates cultural education as both curriculum content and communication medium.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered