Early results from SAFER Latinos: A community model for preventing violence among Latino immigrant youth

This paper describes the implementation, preliminary results and lessons learned from a Latino youth violence prevention effort called SAFER Latinos (Seguridad, Apoyo, Familia, Educacion, y Recursos). SAFER is a CDC-funded collaboration between the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and two key Latino community organizations -- the Maryland Multicultural Youth Center and Latino Federation of Greater Washington -- to identify community-level contributing factors for youth violence in the (recent) immigrant community of Langley Park, MD, and to implement and evaluate a corresponding multi-level intervention. Factors addressed include family cohesion/household stressors; multiple school barriers; community fragmentation and low community efficacy; limited access to services; and a social ecology (including gangs) linked to youth norms supporting violence. These factors are addressed via Social Promotores (for families); Peer Advocates (at school); a community Drop-in Center; and community events and media. Evaluation has been conducted at baseline and at follow-up using: 1) a survey administered to a random cluster sample of apartment building residents in both intervention and control (Culmore, VA) communities (n=1400); 2) focus groups in each community; 3) extensive process and tracking data; and 4) school/community data on Latino youth violence. Results to date support the etiological model, with two mediating factor “clusters” representing the social ecology of risk for these youth. Other data show increased utilization of program services, and positive impacts on families and youth. Yet the intervention and evaluation have been challenged by substantial community transience, demographic change, and a marginalized population facing economic need.