SAAF Programs Training FAQs

Thank you for your interest in the training for the Strong African American Families (SAAF) Programs.  There are two programs associated with SAAF: The Strong African American Families Program (SAAF, for 10-14 year old youth) and the Strong African American Families – Teen Program (SAAF-T, for 14-16 year old teens).  This document provides a brief overview of commonly asked questions about training.  Please contact Gregory Rhodes, the SAAF Programs Dissemination Specialist, for additional information at (706)248-8422 or gdrhodes@uga.edu. We look forward to helping you determine how members of your organization can be trained to implement SAAF and/or SAAF-T.

What is the cost to purchase each individual program? [Back to top]

  • The current cost for either the SAAF or SAAF-T Training and Program Package is $12,000. This initial fee is typically invoiced prior to training.
  • Sites are also responsible for costs associated with travel expenses for two trainers. Expenses vary widely based on the location, so sites are encouraged to estimate $4000 to cover the travel expenses for two trainers. These expenses are typically submitted via an invoice shortly after training.

What is included in the individual SAAF or SAAF-T Training and Program Package? [Back to top]

  • Three full days (24 hours) of in-depth training by CFR Master Trainers which includes a detailed review and practice of session activities.
  • Ongoing Technical Assistance.
  • Two sets of the Program DVDs and access to the video streaming site for the program.
  • A printed set of curriculum materials including a set of large laminated posters.
  • Access to PDF copies of all curriculum materials needed to implement the program (e.g., curriculum manuals, cards, handouts, posters). Note: this access is provided to the host site, for the sole use by the host site.  If other agencies participate in the training, they will need to coordinate with CFR to become a separate SAAF or SAAF-T Site to gain access to materials and approval to implement the program.
  • Resource Materials (e.g., Resource Manual, Fidelity Manual, Brochure, Fact sheet)
  • Access to the program’s Impact Implementation Support Platform
  • Structured coaching, which is required for full certification.

What is the time-frame for planning the training? [Back to top]

  • The standard planning period is 2 months between receipt of the training agreement and the training dates.

Who delivers the Facilitator Training? [Back to top]

  • The training is delivered by master trainers from CFR – most of whom worked with the original research trials. At the onset of the dissemination efforts, these specific individuals were recruited to become master trainers and participated in a multi-level training process to ensure their competence in training organizations on the curriculum.

 Is there a separate training for Youth/Teen, Caregiver, and Family Sessions? [Back to top]

  • No – training participants are trained on Youth/Teen, Caregiver, and Family Session content for all sessions of the program(s).

 What is a minimum number of people needed to participate in the training? [Back to top]

  • A minimum of three people is needed to implement the SAAF and SAAF-T programs according to CFR’s implementation model. However, it is recommended that a minimum of 5-8 people are trained so that substitutions can be made if a facilitator cannot attend a session or leaves the site for any reason.

 What is the maximum number of people that can be trained?  [Back to top]

  • The maximum number of trainees for certification is 20 people. This does not include organizational leadership or stakeholders who may want to observe parts of training.

 If a staff member cannot attend the entire training, can they still become a certified facilitator? [Back to top]

  • Staff must complete the entire training to be eligible to become a certified facilitator. In addition to training, facilitators must also participate in the coaching component and deliver the program 4 times, twice as a youth/teen facilitator and twice as a caregiver facilitator.

What are the requirements for being a SAAF or SAAF-T facilitator? [Back to top]

In addition to completing the required training of facilitators (TOF) and being a member of a trained implementation team, the CFR recommends the following general criteria for selecting facilitators:

  1. Experience working with youth/teens and families
  2. Some level of post-secondary education
  3. Possess a strengths-based orientation as related to the target population
  1. Demonstrate comfort discussing race-related issues and have the ability to help others feel comfortable as well
  2. An additional recommendation for SAAF-T is that facilitators should demonstrate comfort discussing and leading activities related to sexual health content.

What is the process for initiating a training of facilitators (TOF) for SAAF and/or SAAF-T? [Back to top]

  • The first step is to contact the CFR Dissemination Office (see below) to request the Agency Readiness Assessment.
  • The next step is to schedule a meeting with the CFR Dissemination Office to discuss the assessment and the feasibility of moving forward with scheduling training.

What kind of support is available after training? [Back to top]

  • Remote coaching is provided during the first implementation as part of the training package.
  • Ongoing Technical Assistance is available to support sites via tele-conference or video-conference at no additional cost.
  • A Fidelity Visit during implementation can also be provided for an additional cost.

Please contact Gregory Rhodes at (706)248-8422 or gdrhodes@uga.edu if you have additional questions.