Brighter Futures

About

The Milwaukee Brighter Futures Initiative seeks strategies to prevent and reduce child abuse and neglect, youth violence and delinquent behavior, youth alcohol and other drug use and abuse, and non-marital pregnancy.

Milwaukee Brighter Futures is a network of people from Milwaukee organizations and neighborhoods who are committed to prevention and youth/family development strategies in Milwaukee.

Established in 1999, the network currently involves over 25 organizations in regular monthly meetings, work groups, and training initiatives, all centered on sharing best practices in youth, family, and neighborhood development.

Community Advocates, as state-funded Milwaukee Brighter Futures Lead Agency, brings together numerous networks and task forces to work collaboratively on building a strong community prevention system focusing on the issues of child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy, youth violence, youth AODA issues, parenting and youth self-sufficiency.

It provides a community forum to identify best practices for youth-engagement, risky sexual behavior prevention, substance abuse prevention, child abuse and neglect prevention strategies, parenting support and family strengthening.

Aims

The Brighter Futures Initiative, as outlined in the Wisconsin State Statutes, sets five benchmarks for funded programs. The Initiative supports evidence-based, positive youth development and prevention strategies focusing on the following legislative outcomes:

Prevent and reduce the incidence of youth violence and other delinquent behavior;
Prevent and reduce the incidence of youth alcohol and other drug use and abuse;
Prevent and reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect;
Prevent and reduce the incidence of non-marital pregnancy and increase the use of abstinence to prevent non-marital pregnancy; and
Increase adolescent self-sufficiency by encouraging high school graduation, vocational preparedness, improved social and other interpersonal skills and responsible decision-making.

Milwaukee Brighter Futures is one of ten Wisconsin counties and reservations funded through this program. The state funding flows through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families' Office of Youth Services.

Expected Outcomes

To measure the effectiveness and success of these agencies impact, CA is working with the Center for Urban Population Health (CUPH) for data and evaluation services. The CUPH evaluation plan focuses on evaluating pre/posttests included with the curricula used by each community agency.

Evaluation questions

Is there a measurable change in the incidence of youth violence and other delinquent behavior?
Is there a measurable change in the incidence of youth alcohol and other drug use and abuse?
Is there a measurable change in the incidence of child abuse and neglect?
Is there a measurable change in the incidence of non-marital pregnancy and increase the use of abstinence to prevent non-marital pregnancy?
Is there a measurable change in adolescent self-sufficiency by encouraging high school graduation, vocational preparedness, improved social and other interpersonal skills and responsible decision-making?

Methodology
The pre/post-tests questionnaire will be utilized to measure change in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors before administering the curricula and after. The pre-test would be delivered before any curricula are delivered, and the post-test would be administered after the curricula have been delivered in its entirety.

Team	Kaija Zusevics, PhD Josh Lang, MS Michelle Buyner, MS Jessica Bizub