CBSG FAQ
What is the CBSG® Program?
The CBSG® Program is a multi-cultural preventive intervention for selective and indicated populations of children and youth, ages 4-17 , whose high-risk situations, attitudes and behaviors place them at elevated risk for substance abuse, delinquency and violence. The CBSG® Program provides a research-based curriculum of coping, social and substance abuse prevention skills delivered in a highly-structured support group process by a trained, caring group facilitator.
Selective Populations Appropriate for Inclusion in the CBSG® Program: CBSG® Program literature (Brown, 2002) defines an appropriate selective population as being: “children and youth living in high-risk situations that involve adverse childhood experiences.” The focus is on the situation rather than on the individual, with the presence of the high-risk situation being the reason for the referral of the individual into the program. “High-risk situations” are defined as including (but not limited to): substance abusing or addicted parents/siblings; parents and/or siblings engaged in crime or violence; residing in a homeless family or domestic violence center; living in severe poverty; living in foster care or living in a group residential setting awaiting foster care; experiencing family separation or divorce; and living/going to school in decaying, disorganized and/or crime/drug affected neighborhoods.
Indicated Populations Appropriate for Inclusion in the CBSG® Program: Children and youth (who may or may not live in high-risk situations) who display observable deficits in coping and social skills and/or early signs of anti-social attitudes and behaviors, including substance use. The focus is on the attitudes and behaviors of the individual rather than on the situation, which may be a confounding risk factor, but not the reason for referral into the program.
CBSG® Program Facilitator Manual: The same age groupings, topics, format and activities are used in all CBSG® Program implementation settings. Spanish translations of participant materials are included. Because different settings have unique needs, there is a separate CBSG® Program Facilitator Manual for use in:
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Schools & Community-Based Settings
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Shelters, Group Homes & Transitional Settings
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Christian Faith-Based Settings
NOTE: To accommodate grant and contract requirements, the age groupings for schools and community-based settings are also available in separate volumes under the names Kids’ Connection (For Ages 4-12) and Youth Connection (For Ages 10-17.)
What is the effectiveness of the CBSG® Program?
Empirical studies show that the CBSG® Program reduces anti-social attitudes and rebellious behavior, increases anti-drug-use attitudes and intentions, reduces early substance use/experimentation, and increases coping and social skills.
How is the CBSG® Program implemented?
The Rainbow Days’ CBSG® Program has been successfully implemented throughout the United States in a variety of settings, including schools, after-school programs, recreation centers, homeless shelters, group homes, outreach programs, churches, alternative schools, and juvenile detention centers.
- Participants are grouped by age and developmental level, with group size being limited to 6 to 12 members, depending on age and development.
- The CBSG® Program versions for schools and community-based sites and Christian faith-based settings do not allow new members after the second session. The version for shelters, group homes and transitional settings allows an exception to this rule.
- Typically, there are 10 sessions for selective populations and 12 sessions for indicated populations, plus optional pre/post evaluation survey sessions. Session duration is the same period of time as one regular school class period. Sessions are conducted either weekly or bi-weekly depending on the setting.
- All group sessions are held in private, child-appropriate settings.
- Group rules provide for member confidentiality.
What materials are needed to implement the CBSG® Program?
The CBSG® Facilitator’s Manual is available for schools & community-based settings; shelters, group homes and transitional settings and Christian faith-based settings.
Rainbow Days Training conducts a required, comprehensive, Curriculum-Based Support Group Facilitator Training, which prepares participants to implement the program and includes a CBSG® Facilitator’s Manual. The manuals are only available to trained facilitators.
The CBSG® Facilitator’s Manuals are designed to be self-contained and facilitator-friendly. They contain handout masters that can be copied for the children/youth participants. Facilitators would need to supply basic art/craft supplies such as paper, crayons, markers, glue sticks, etc.
Is the CBSG® Program available in Spanish?
The handout masters for all participant activities are available in Spanish.
What is CBSG® Program Facilitator Training?
The CBSG® Program Facilitator Training prepares prevention specialists, school counselors and other youth service professionals and volunteers to fully implement Rainbow Days’ CBSG® Program with fidelity.
Training content includes:
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The theoretical foundations of the CBSG® Program;
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Risk and protective factors addressed by the CBSG® Program;
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How to implement the CBSG® Program in your setting;
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The role of the CBSG® Program facilitator and effective facilitation skills;
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Opportunities to practice facilitation skills using the CBSG® Program Facilitator Manual.
For information on training costs, please click here.