Program Exploration

Program Summary

Too Good is a comprehensive family of evidence-based substance use and violence prevention interventions designed to mitigate the risk factors linked to problem behaviors and build protection within the child to resist problem behaviors.

Too Good develops and reinforces a comprehensive skills framework including setting reachable goals, making responsible decisions, identifying and managing emotions, and effective communication in addition to peer-pressure refusal, pro-social peer bonding, and peaceful conflict resolution skills. 

Too Good builds the basis for a safe, supportive, and respectful learning environment.

Setting and Target Population

The Too Good programs are universal prevention interventions that target children and adolescents Grades K-12.  The Too Good programs are designed for delivery in a classroom-style setting that supports individual, paired, and group learning. Too Good programs align with frameworks for Response to Intervention (RTI) or Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) to aid students with varied needs in whole group, small group, or individualized settings. 

The programs are successfully implemented by:

• Teachers
• School Counselors
• Prevention Specialists
• Community Youth Educators
• Mental Health Professionals
• Law Enforcement Officers
• Student Peers
• Other youth focused mentors, guides, and educators

Prevention Framework

Effective prevention programs like Too Good promote skills development and educate youth about the effects and consequences of risky behaviors like engaging in substance use and violence.  Because the delivery of information alone rarely changes behaviors, and because other informative or emotional appeal strategies like didactic lectures, scare tactics, alarming statistics, or infrequent or single event presentations have proven to be ineffective in reducing or deterring risky behaviors in children and youth, Too Good takes a skills-based approach to prepare children and adolescents to make healthy responsible decisions.

Too Good programs are based in sound development and prevention theory.  They use a strengths-based approach that builds on strengths and wellness as part of a strategy to address risk aiming to build protective factors.  Too Good programs are interactive and hands-on providing opportunities for skills building and skills application.

Targeted Risk Factors and Protective Factors

Too Good targets the following risk factors and protective factors associated with substance use or antisocial behavior in children and adolescents:

Protective factors targeted for increase

• Social and emotional competency skills
• Personal efficacy
• Exposure to school, community, and cultural norms that reject substance use or antisocial behaviors
• Increased knowledge and perception of harm of the negative effects of substance use
• Positive school connectedness

Risk factors targeted for decrease

• Poor social and emotional skills
• Favorable attitudes toward substance use or antisocial behavior
• Norms favorable toward substance use or antisocial behavior
• Peer rewards for substance use or antisocial behaviors
• Early initiation of substance use
• Physical violence
• Bullying behavior

Expected Outcomes

In random control trials Too Good programs have been shown to reduce substance use and antisocial behavior.

Too Good for Drugs Short-Term Outcomes

• Students show improved social emotional competency and resistance skills.
• More students perceive substance use as wrong, risky, or harmful; fewer see it as acceptable or cool.
• More students report that substance use is not the norm and not a positive behavior.
• More students report a greater sense of self-efficacy.
• More students report feeling connected with the school/instructor.

Too Good for Drugs Long-Term Outcomes

Following program implementation, students report that as a result of exposure to TGFD, they intend to abstain from/reduce use of alcohol, tobacco (nicotine), and marijuana (THC).  Schools that have the ability to measure these behaviors have observed that TGFD leads to fewer incidents of ATOD use.

TGFV - A Peaceable Place; TGFV - Social Perspectives Short-Term Outcomes

• Students show improved skills competency and media literacy skills.
• More students perceive violent acts as wrong, risky, or harmful; fewer see it as acceptable or cool.
• More students report that violence is not the norm and that their friends do not approve of violent behavior.
• More students report a greater sense of self-efficacy.
• More students report feeling connected with the school/instructor.

TGFV - A Peaceable Place; TGFV - Social Perspectives Long-Term Outcomes

Following program implementation, students report that as a result of exposure to TGFV, they intend to resolve their conflicts non-violently.  Schools that have the ability to measure these behaviors have observed that TGFV leads to fewer incidents of violence. 

Explore the Efficacy Studies

Too Good Fidelity Model

Too Good programs are evidence-based, universal interventions that have undergone rigorous evaluation to establish their effectiveness. Once a program has established effectiveness, program implementation determines how likely the intended outcomes are achieved. An intervention delivered with fidelity to the implementation model refers to the degree to which facilitators remain faithful to the program design throughout program delivery.

The program design includes the delivery methods, activities and materials, intensity and dosage of the program, and other core components that make the program effective.

Learn more about the Fidelity Model

Evaluation Tools

Evaluation instruments to assess the fidelity of your implementation, including instructor performance, and to collect student outcomes data, including knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behavior, are provided at every program grade level.

Adaptations to the Fidelity Model

Adaptations or modifications to the program design are sometimes necessary for implementation in real-world settings. Proper and minor adaptations that can enhance effectiveness include: 

• Minor adjustments to lesson scenarios to adjust the wording, terms, or setting to be more reflective of the student population
• Adjusting the delivery of activities to accommodate the learning needs of the students

Improper adaptations can reduce or weaken effectiveness or have a counter effect.

Adaptations should only be made to enhance effectiveness. Adaptations should not be made for convenience or to suit the implementation style of the facilitator.  Adaptation decisions should be made collaboratively with the site Implementation Coordinator or other responsible party and a Mendez Foundation Implementation Adviser.

Learn more about the Adaptations Protocol

Program Training

Successful implementation of an evidence-based program like Too Good requires planning and preparation and trained staff at all phases. 

Learn more about Training