Triple P: Positive Parenting Program
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can help promote healthy childhood environments. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program basics
- Offers families simple and practical strategies to help their children foster healthy relationships and manage behavior
- Designed to be both preventative and provide treatment to children and teenagers experiencing emotional and/or behavioral challenges
- Focuses on helping parents develop the skills necessary to be able to manage family issues without ongoing support
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Proven (highest tier)
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Proven (highest tier)
Ranked as having the highest level of evidence by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare, Social Programs That Work, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute of Justice; the second-highest level of evidence by Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development
Target population
Low- and moderate-income adults and families
Program cost
Not available
Implementation locations
- Nationwide
Dates active
2001-present
Outcomes and impact
- Improved child behavior, mental health, and parenting
- Leads to fewer hospitalizations from child abuse injuries
- Leads to fewer out-of-home placements
- Slowed growth of confirmed child abuse cases
- Effective across a range of family structures, socioeconomic groups, and countries
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- Develop a robust, flexible training program that offers an accreditation for practitioners, who will regularly engage with participating parents. Such training typically ranges from 1-4 days initially, with an opportunity for specialized training as practitioners gain experience.
- Invest in a significant marketing and communications strategy – including in mediums like online and radio ads, flyers, and brochures – to supplement recruitment efforts; prioritize raising awareness of general parenting issues and destigmatizing the notion of parents asking for help.
- Evaluate a range of different program delivery types (such as one-on-one training, seminars, groups, and online courses) that best cater to the individual needs of your parent community and practitioners, along with program capacity; for instance, while a seminar may allow for a 300:1 parent-to-practitioner ratio, more intensive group trainings range from 20-30 parents per practitioner.
- Identify program levels of intensity that best suit the target population and program capacity; offerings can range from a single, 3-hour seminar to regular, weekly sessions up to nearly 40 hours per family.
- Leverage Triple P consultants and implementation resources as needed; the program is designed to allow for significant self-regulation and tailored support.
