Discussions on how best to support youth involved in gangs can be difficult as this is a very often misunderstood population. Children seek out gangs for many reasons whether it is intergenerational influences with kids being raised in a culture of violence, trauma from community violence, or a search for connection and stability.

“This is a group of kids being pushed aside based on public perception of their choices. The community needs to realize that it is not exclusively criminality but also linked to poverty and trauma,” said Cheryl Perez, a Program Coordinator with FamilyStrong. It is Cheryl’s job to ensure that Denver’s youth get connected with the individualized services that they need to be successful and prevent future involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Cheryl and other community members joined Savio House for a kick-off call last month to launch a new therapy model based on scientific research geared towards gang-involved youth. Attendees, including probation officers from across the Denver Metro Area, representatives from the Department of Human Services, and several district attorneys and judges, who were there to learn more about Functional Family Therapy – Gangs or FFT-G.

It is no surprise that the promise of a program with remarkable results has stakeholders eager for it to launch. Youth gang involvement in the Denver Metro area has risen significantly in recent years, and current interventions have proven inadequate.  During a randomized control trial in Philadelphia, families that received “treatment as usual,” a family therapy program not based on scientific research, were successfully engaged at a rate of 21%. FFT-G, on the other hand, successfully engaged families at an 80% rate. The engagement sparked dramatic reductions in criminal behavior and drug use.

FFT-G will support kids who have become involved in gangs in the Denver Metro area. In partnership with CU Boulder and area Juvenile Probation departments, Savio therapists will soon start working with families using the new model this Spring.

How does FFT-G work?

It builds stronger connections to family, positive peers, and the community to strengthen protective factors that shape youth behavior. Clinical training and treatment focus on mental health drivers that lead to gang membership, including trauma, social isolation, and poverty. FFT-G addresses the intentions behind unwanted behavior associated with gang involvement.  It avoids labeling the youth as a criminal instead of focusing on a future not shaped by past actions. Avoiding stigmatizing gang involvement is especially important, considering that gang involvement is often intergenerational. It is hard to get parent’s support if they feel like they are judged for their past.

For Cheryl, the family centered approach makes sense; “Gang structure mimics family structure, often filling a connection that a child might not be receiving in their home life. It is because of this unique connection interventions need to be different, not just therapies but ones based on evidence.”

What will participating in FFT-G look like for Denver families?

Probation officers, case managers, and the court system will refer children ages 11 to 18 who are involved in gangs or at risk of becoming involved. A therapist will meet with the family, typically in their own home, to determine what is causing the child’s behaviors. They will then meet face to face for at least 90 minutes per week and 30 minutes over the phone for 4-5 months. These sessions move through three phases as the family progresses, targeting unhealthy family patterns leading to behavioral problems.

Phase One – Engagement and Motivation – Therapists help family members look at how their intentions and interactions affect other family members. This phase addresses why an individual does something so that the family can change their perspective. For example, helping a child understand that their parent is yelling due to fear they might get into legal trouble for their gang involvement can help them stop lashing out. This phase focuses on the strength behind each family member’s motivation to be directed towards positive behaviors. If the child is stealing to try and support a financially struggling family, the therapist will highlight the child’s desire to provide as a strength. Once the family’s motivations are determined, they can change negative behaviors to positive ones that focus on their strengths.

Phase Two – Behavior Change – Once the family’s motives are determined, the second phase works to change their behaviors. This phase includes many activities to keep the family engaged. Targeting different skills needed to support each other, families work on communicating with each other appropriately. Some children may need more connection from their parents, and a bad connection is better than no connection, which causes them to act out through gang involvement to get a reaction from their parents.  The therapist will work with the parents to support positive relationships with their child. Other children may need to be more autonomous, with the therapist working with parents to build trust in their child.

Phase Three – Generalization – This phase brings together all of the skills that the family has learned and applies them to how they interact with the community to support long-term stability and success.  Building on natural external supports that the child may have prevents them from returning to gang involvement. Natural supports could involve a religious leader, positive peer groups, or a neighbor the child trusts. The therapist helps the family build a plan to know what to do if negative behaviors start to resurface.

Families will also have access to 24/7 emergency support from Savio therapists. As the family would prefer to avoid calling the police, parents can call and receive help that targets family dynamics instead of getting law enforcement involved. Not calling the police prevents escalating involvement in the legal system that can stop the child from receiving the support they need. Prior to having access to this 24/7 support, many families would have very few options for resources that prevent this escalation.

“I am incredibly excited for this program to come to Savio. It was frustrating that there were not many resources out there for kids and communities at risk for gang involvement or escalating gang involvement”  said Cheryl noting that the benefits of FFT-G will extend past the families that it serves to the community at large. The entire community benefits when its young people have the resources that they need to grow into productive members.

Why is the community such an important part of FFT-G?

Implementation of this model includes identifying and engaging neighborhood experts to understand local factors contributing to gang violence and identify positive support for families. Savio has already held discussions with neighborhood groups including Westwood Unidos, Lifespan Local, and the Athmar Park Neighborhood Association, and other groups of residents and civic leaders to lend context and perspective. The insight from these community members allows for the therapists to develop culturally appropriate treatment plans and lends to the adaptability of the FFT-G model.

Savio thanks our community partners for joining us and looks forward to launching the program this Spring.