Implementation of the “Communities That Care” prevention system in a Brazilian Community

Authors

• Tallita Franzoloso Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8168-9556
• Charlene Fernanda Thurow Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9462-1320
• Ana Regina Noto Universidade Federal de São Paulo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2622-6668
• Eric Brown University of Miami https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1724-4971
• Daniela Ribeiro Schneider Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2936-6503

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17058/psiunisc.v9i.18972

Keywords:

Prevention, Implementation Science, Process Evaluation, Community Participation

Abstract

Introduction: Communities That Care (CTC) is a community-based prevention system designed to support the healthy social development of children and adolescents by mobilizing and training community coalitions to assess, plan, and implement evidence-based preventive interventions. The system is currently undergoing a process of cultural adaptation in Brazil, where it has been named Comunidades que Cuidam (CQC). Objectives: This article aimed to describe the implementation process, assess the fidelity of the CQC pilot, and identify the main adaptations made during its first two phases in a community in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Method: This is an implementation evaluation study, conducted with a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive design. Participants were selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Data collection involved the use of the CQC Milestones and Benchmarks checklist and documents produced between 2020 and 2022. Descriptive analyses of the collected data were carried out. Results: The findings indicated that most of the planned goals were achieved. Regarding implementation fidelity, the core elements remained preserved, while the main cultural adaptations occurred in the delivery of trainings. The main challenges included delays in administering the planned instruments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, difficulties in conducting the trainings, and the process of forming the community coalition. Conclusion: Despite these barriers, the cultural adaptation of the system has proven to be a promising initiative for establishing a consistent community-based prevention alternative in Brazil.

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