Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project
In February 2008, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project (PIDP), an innovative countywide effort to demonstrate effective approaches to reducing child abuse and neglect.
This unique partnership between the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and community-based organizations is designed to strengthen families while providing opportunities for government agencies and community residents to increase the safety and well-being of children, families and the community.
Mid-Course Report
This mid-course report was designed to illustrate some of the changes that are under way in the PIDP from the perspectives of those who are most involved.
It describes reform efforts and prevention activities designed to address the unique needs and resources of the different regions of LA County.
Year One Evaluation
In February 2008, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project (PIDP), an innovative countywide effort to demonstrate effective approaches to reducing child abuse and neglect.
This unique partnership between the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and community-based organizations is designed to strengthen families while providing opportunities for government agencies and community residents to increase the safety and well-being of children, families and the community.
Each of the PIDP networks implemented three braided and integrated strategies:
- Building social networks using strengths-based and relationship-focused community organizing approaches.
- Increasing economic opportunities and development.
- Increasing access to and utilization of beneficial services, activities, resources, and supports.
After a year of operation, the PIDP networks have served nearly 20,000 people. Data collected from both surveys and focus groups highlight the benefits that both parents and youth feel they have received from PIDP. Benefits cited by parents included greater involvement in their community, more desire to engage in community activities, and feeling less lonely or isolated.
Year Two Evaluation
As described in the year one evaluation report, Los Angeles County’s Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project (PIDP) was designed to address the full spectrum of child abuse prevention.
Since spring of 2008, each of the eight PIDP networks has worked to prevent child maltreatment by decreasing social isolation, decreasing poverty, strengthening families and increasing family protective factors, increasing access to services, and building durable community-based collaboratives to support families. Each of the eight PIDP networks has implemented three integrated core strategies:
- Building social networks through community organizing
- Increasing economic opportunities and development
- Increasing access to and use of beneficial services, activities, resources, and support.
The foundational infrastructure and relationship-building work done in year one is paying off. This year two evaluation found that PIDP networks are making a continued difference for families. Parents report significant initial gains in family support, connections to the community, and less parenting stress in a wide range of areas after six months of participating in various family action groups or neighborhood action councils.
Findings also show that families who receive secondary prevention PIDP services are less likely to be re-referred to child welfare or to enter the system.
This second-year evaluation report briefly summarizes the operations of PIDP in each of the County’s eight Service Planning Areas (SPAs) and key findings from the initial pilot project before moving on to focus on evaluation findings from year two (July 2009 – June 2010). It concludes with implications for the County’s overall approach to strengthening families and preventing child maltreatment as well as recommendations for next steps.
