A multiple-family group HIV prevention program for drug-involved mothers and their young children

This article describes the development of a family-based preventive intervention designed to reduce HIV risk behavior in children (8-11 years) whose mothers have a history of drug involvement. The program, HIV-Prevention at the Young Mother's Program with Evolving Families (HYPE), is a 10-week multiple family group intervention influenced by the Collaborative HIV-Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP), a family-based HIV prevention program developed to reduce HIV risk behavior and promote mental health of urban pre-adolescents. The development and delivery of HYPE were overseen by a partnership between community members representing an inner-city neighborhood, including staff, administrators, and a graduate of a drug treatment program for mothers in Bronx, New York, and university-based researchers. A description of the collaborative process and an overview of the curriculum from the first pilot program are presented. Implications for family-based HIV prevention for urban populations affected by drug-use and abuse are discussed.