Home > The ATTC/NIATx Service Improvement Blog > How a Prevention Coalition Used NIATx to Boost Parent Participation in Prevention Efforts
Prevention coalitions often face challenges engaging parents in prevention initiatives, even when those efforts address critical issues like youth substance use or mental health. Here's an example of how a fictional coalition decided to take on this challenge by using the NIATx Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) tool. The small, incremental changes they made helped to increase attendance at parent sessions.
The coalition initially aimed to draw 15 parents to each meeting, yet attendance was consistently below that goal, averaging only 10 participants. They decided to form a NIATx change team to focus on the parent engagement process.
The change team implemented three PDSA cycles over eight weeks, each focusing on a specific aspect of their meeting process.
Through these iterative cycles, the change team met its goal of 15 participants per meeting. Key lessons:
This fictional coalition's success story shows how the NIATx approach can work in prevention. By testing small changes, studying their impact, and revising based on results, coalitions can improve engagement and make a greater impact in their communities.
Are you ready to apply the NIATx approach to your prevention efforts? Start small, stay curious, and let your data guide you to success.
Interested in learning more? Attend the upcoming NIATx Change Leader Academy. While this training does not focus on prevention, it offers an overview of the NIATx approach and tools.
Sessions: January 23, 30, and February 6 and 13, 2025
10 to 11:30 a.m. CT/11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET
The opinions expressed herein are the views of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), SAMHSA, CSAT or the ATTC Network. No official support or endorsement of DHHS, SAMHSA, or CSAT for the opinions of authors presented in this e-publication is intended or should be inferred.