ABC

Catholic Charities’ ABC (Asset Building for Children) Program provides services to children/youth designed to enhance the factors that not only help elementary school age children/youth to develop important social skills, but also bolster resilience. This approach enhances a child’s/youth’s ability to succeed in school, teaches children/youth to avoid risky behavior and resist peer pressure, helps children/youth learn to resist abusive or exploitative situations, and teaches skills which reduce violence, and encourage respect for self and others

Elementary schools contract with Catholic Charities to provide this service to their schools. The principals select the curriculum and grade level based on the needs of the school. Each of the ABC programs is carefully matched to the developmental level of the students who use it. Last school year 595 students in 33 classrooms from 9 schools in Northern Kentucky were served in this program. The schools pay on a sliding fee and can use their Title IV (Safe and Drug Free) monies. The fee of the program is $88.50 per hour or $796.50 per 9 week group.

We offer 5 researched based nationally recognized curricula’s for grades 1-8th. The curriculums that are currently in place are: BABES, Steps to Respect, Second Step, Project Charlie and Kelso. A professional Masters level facilitator provides nine weekly interactive classroom sessions 30-45 minutes in length in elementary schools using discussion, puppets and other mixed media.

The ABC Program uses a strengths-based model in working with children/youth, parents, teachers and school administrators. The program has three components, prevention, education and treatment. When children and youth participate yearly in ABC programs as they progress through elementary school, they are able to develop and make use of the skills in their everyday encounters. Classroom teachers are present during the facilitated ABC program. They often reinforce the lessons, and this encourages increased use of the skills by the children. Studies have shown social skills are the best predictor of how a child/youth will adjust to life as an adult. Difficulties in social skill development are often not seen until children/youth reach school age. Developing friendships and acceptance by peers is critical for this age group. Social competency involves the ability to have positive relationships with people, engage well with others, and cope emotionally with the "ups and downs" in life. Social skills are learned and take time to mature.

ABC staff also provide education to parents through the Family Values Newsletter distributed to all families with children/youth in the ten schools served. The newsletter, which is published four times a year, covers topics of interest to parents that help them to understand their children and to respond to them in an appropriate and effective way. Parents may also sign up for the Parenting Tip of the Month which they receive monthly. This is a brief suggestion or piece of information intended to be useful to parents in how they deal with their children/youth.

Our outcomes, based on the logic model advocated by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, have not only been affirmed as satisfactory, but also have reached intended targets. Results of measurements have led to program innovations, chief of which is in an increased emphasis on teacher and parent contact as part of the skill development process.

The ABC program at Catholic Charities is COA accredited (1996 to date, ???? Group Services for Social Development and Enrichment). This accreditation, which was sought voluntarily, affirms the quality of the agency’s management and services and increases the prospect of this project achieving its intent. In addition, the credentials and longevity of the staff, the validity and reliability of the measurements selected, the alliance of the agency with a strong national professional organization, and the community’s affirmation of our services are also powerful indicators of effectiveness.
 

More Information

For further information about these programs, contact: Shannon Braun, M.S.W., C.S.W. (859) 581-8974 Ext. 141 or sbraun@covingtoncharities.org