What is THRIVE?
THRIVE is a promising sexual health intervention for youth in congregate care settings and the staff who support them. THRIVE aims to create a safe space in which youth can talk and learn about relationships and sexual health. THRIVE consists of a 4- hour training for staff and 10-hour training for youth ages 12 to 20 delivered in congregate care settings.
About The THRIVE Evaluation
The Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing (TXICFW) at the University of Texas at Austin is partnering with implementation and evaluation teams in Illinois, Kansas, and Colorado to conduct an efficacy study of THRIVE, a promising sexual health intervention for youth in congregate care settings and the staff who support them.
THRIVE was designed by the Texas Foster Youth Health Initiative, which brought together sexual health, violence prevention, and child welfare experts, foster caregivers, child welfare professionals, and youth with lived experience.
Organizations with expertise in child welfare and sexual health (KVC Behavioral Health Services Kansas, and the Colorado Sexual Health Initiative) will implement THRIVE in congregate care settings in their respective states.
Chapin Hall serves as the independent evaluator, supported by teams at the University of Kansas and the University of Colorado Boulder. The 5-year study is funded through a Tier 2 Rigorous Evaluation Cooperative Agreement from OASH – Office of Population Affairs (2023-2028)
Meet the TXICFW Project Team
Barbara Ball, Ph.D., LPC-AT
Principal Investigator
Monica Faulkner, Ph.D.
Principal Co-Investigator
Michelle Ramirez, LMSW
Research Coordinator
