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## Breadcrumb

            -  Evidence and Innovation 
            -  Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review 
            -  Programs 
            -           Linking Families and Teens (LiFT)      

# Linking Families and Teens (LiFT)

- Program Information
- Program Overview
- Program Description
- Program Component Table
- Program Implementation

- Research Evidence
- Reviewed Studies
- Study Characteristics
- Study Findings

Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Hawai'i, Alaska, Indiana, and Kentucky.

The Linking Families and Teens (LiFT) program is a six-hour family connection workshop designed to improve sexual health outcomes for high school–age youth across the United States. The workshop is intended to increase the frequency and quality of communication about sexuality between teens and their supportive adults, enhance the relationship between teens and these adults, increase teens’ confidence about preventing unwanted pregnancy, increase supportive adults’ comfort with their youth receiving sexual health services, and decrease the number of unplanned teen pregnancies. After the workshops, participants can opt to receive 12 follow-up text messages that serve as reminders of the skills taught in LiFT and include conversation prompts and resources. Four weeks after the workshop, all supportive adults receive a booster call from a LiFT facilitator to reinforce concepts discussed during the workshop and provide any necessary resources.

LiFT is intended to serve all youth ages 13 to 19. Each youth must participate with one or more adult parents or caregivers; the program calls them supportive adults.

The LiFT program can be implemented in urban, suburban, and rural communities of all sizes. It requires an implementation site where participants can be divided into two groups in different rooms, with one room large enough to accommodate all participants for group activities. Implementations have taken place in schools, community-based organizations, and other locations.

For curriculum, materials, and pricing information, please contact:Free, downloadable versions of the LiFT curriculum, workbooks, and program guide are available in both English and Spanish at https://sparked.net/lift/.

For more information on curriculum, materials, and pricing information please contact: sparked@ppgnhaik.org.

For training and support, please contact:For information on training or further support, please contact: sparked@ppgnhaik.org.

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LiFT’s goals are to increase the frequency and quality of communication about sexuality between teens and their supportive adults, enhance the relationship between teens and these adults, increase teens’ confidence about preventing unwanted pregnancy, increase supportive adults’ comfort with their youth receiving sexual health services, and decrease the number of unplanned teen pregnancies.

The LiFT workshop modules allow families time to connect with each other, gain skills to support effective discussions on tough topics in the future, teach youth new skills related to sexual health, and create space for supportive adults to connect. The program is guided by a Family Connection Framework and evidence-based best practices in sexual health education, including Positive Youth Development, Understanding By Design, and Adult Learning Theory.

LiFT is delivered using group discussions, brainstorming activities, skill practice, role-play, short lectures, pair-share, group work, and self-reflection.

LiFT primarily consists of a six-hour workshop (breaks and mealtime included) intended to provide families with time to connect with each other. The ideal group size for the workshop is 10 families, but facilitators may work with up to 20 families, each including one or more youth plus one or more supportive adults. 

The workshop is divided into eight modules, four of which are for youth and adults (called Together Time); two are youth only, and two are adult only. The modules for youth and their supportive adults run concurrently. The youth- and adult-only modules include activities and allow each group to have open and honest conversations among themselves. Such open and honest conversations are also encouraged during the Together Times modules.  

During the workshop, participants can opt to receive 12 follow-up text messages that serve as reminders of the skills taught in LiFT and include conversation prompts and resources. All supportive adults receive a booster call from a LiFT facilitator four weeks following the workshop date. These calls serve to reinforce concepts discussed during the workshop and provide any necessary resources.

The program is designed to be delivered by two trained co-facilitators who assume the roles of youth facilitator and adult facilitator. It is strongly recommended facilitators complete the LiFT training of facilitators (TOF).

LiFT includes a program manual for facilitators and workbooks for participants. The LiFT program manual provides detailed information about prepping for implementation, including time frames and a checklist that facilitators start using six months before the workshop. The workshop requires workbooks for participants, pre-printed posters and other printed materials, and toy building blocks. It is strongly recommended that food be provided.

The workshop must be held in a location that has at least two separate spaces to allow teens and adults to break into separate groups, with one space large enough for all participants to work together at the same time.

To implement with fidelity, the entire six-hour workshop (all eight modules), text messaging, and the booster call must be completed. For more information on fidelity forms, please contact sparked@ppgnhaik.org.

Ideal facilitators are highly skilled sex educators familiar with local resources; reflect participants characteristics; are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) participants; and use trauma-informed practices. Six months before the workshop, facilitators should have read the program manual thoroughly and attended a LiFT TOF training. For more information on LiFT training, please contact sparked@ppgnhaik.org. Recommended training that supports highly skilled sex educators can be found at https://sparked.net/.

For additional technical assistance and support with LiFT, please contact sparked@ppgnhaik.org. The LiFT program provides participants and professionals with national websites and hotlines for additional resources.

Facilitators are allowed to divide the six-hour workshop into two sessions instead of one. Facilitators are additionally encouraged to make any necessary adaptations based on group size or participant ability levels. An adaptation guide is included in the program manual.

### Evidence by Outcome Domain and Study

#### Notes

*Some study entries may include more than one citation because each citation examines a different follow-up period from the same study sample, or because each citation examines a different set of outcome measures on the same study sample. A blank cell indicates the study did not examine any outcome measures within the particular outcome domain or the findings for the outcome measures within that domain did not meet the review evidence standards.*

*Information on evidence of effectiveness is available only for studies that received a high or moderate rating. Read the description of the review process for more information on how these programs are identified.*