Pregnancy Prevention Programs for Adolescent Mothers
Family Growth Center: A Community-Based Social Support Program for Teen Mothers and Their Families: This comprehensive, community-based family support program was designed to reduce repeat pregnancy and school drop-out rates among adolescent mothers. Teens, infants and families are visited by case managers in the teen’s home for the first six months of the intervention. After six months, the mother and family are offered an array of center-based services at a designated Family Growth Center location. Activities include parenting classes, counseling, transportation services, recreation, grandparents groups, advocacy and referral services. For additional information or to order this curriculum, visit: www.socio.com.
A Health Care Program for First-Time Adolescent Mothers and their Infants: Originally designed for low-income, unwed teens, this program aims to help first-time mothers prevent repeat pregnancies, return to school, improve immunization rates for their infants and reduce their use of hospital emergency room services for routine infant care. A variety of services are offered in the context of a teen baby clinic, including: (1) well-baby care at 2 weeks, and when the baby is 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months of age; (2) family planning discussions and referral, as appropriate, to a birth control clinic; (3) instruction in parenting skills; and (4) informal parenting education through videotapes, slides and discussions with nurse practitioners or trained volunteers. For additional information or to order this curriculum, visit: www.socio.com.
Home-Based Mentoring for First-Time Adolescent: This mentoring program for low-income adolescent mothers matches adolescents according to race/ethnicity with college-educated, single parent, female mentors. The mentor pairs meet twice a month. The mentor delivers a 19-lesson, home-based curriculum designed to provide the adolescent mother with: 1) negotiation skills for communicating with her own mother; 2) parenting skills for raising her infant; and 3) alternative strategies to achieving autonomy through a focus on personal values, decision-making, access to birth control, and goal setting. Mentors receive extensive training and participate in weekly supervisory sessions. For more information, contact: Maureen Black, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 737 W Lombard St, Room 161, Baltimore, MD 21201.
Intensive School-Based Program for Teen Mothers: This school-based program is appropriate for low-income, African American adolescent females enrolled in high school. Intensive case management is provided by a school-based social worker who also does frequent home visits and coordinates with the adolescent’s physician. The adolescents also participate in a weekly, school-based peer education/support group, including involvement in service learning. Comprehensive medical care is provided for the adolescent mother and her child with continuous availability of a pediatrician by pager. For more information, contact: Janice D. Key, M.D., The Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Pediatrics, 135 Rutledge Avenue, PO Box 250561, Charleston, SC 29425.
Nurse Home Visiting for First-Time Adolescent Mothers: This program for first-time mothers living in poverty provides nurse home visiting for pregnant and parenting women, especially adolescents. Each participating mother is assigned to a nurse for home visiting and receives intensive home visits during pregnancy and for 24 months after her child’s birth. The nurse works with the mothers and other caregivers to promote a healthy pregnancy and improve the emotional and physical care given to the children. The nurse also provides referrals, and helps the mothers to set goals to overcome problems that may interfere with their education, finding work or planning future pregnancies. For more information, contact: Ruth O’Brien at the The Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation Program, Kempe Prevention Research Center for Family & Child Health, 1825 Marion Street, Denver CO 80218; Phone 303.864.5210; fax 202.864.5236; or [email protected].
Queens Hospital Center’s Teenage Program: Based upon the premise that a teen’s first pregnancy may stem from underlying, unmet needs, this program provides a comprehensive set of services including medical care, psychosocial support and education to the adolescent, her partner and her family. Each patient and her infant remain with a team of providers until the adolescent mother reaches age 20. The team consists of an obstetrician-gynecologist, pediatrician, social worker and health educator. In an effort to prevent repeat pregnancy and STDs, the program encourages the teen’s partner to participate in education, support, and counseling activities. For additional information or to order this curriculum, visit: www.socio.com.
Polly T. McCabe Center for Pregnant Adolescents: This alternative school for pregnant public school students follows the same schedule and curriculum as the rest of the public school system but also provides students with comprehensive services, including medical and social services. Staff includes teachers, nurses, and social workers of varied racial and ethnic backgrounds. Students receive counseling to help them plan their immediate and long-term future. Counseling also includes grappling with child care issues, completing high school, delaying subsequent childbearing, coping with family conflict, and finding housing, if living with a parent or guardian is not possible. For more information, visit: www.greatschools.net.
Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation Programme for Adolescent Mothers: This community-based pregnancy prevention program for adolescent mothers addresses the health of adolescents in the broad context of their educational and employment needs. The primary aims of this program are to return adolescents to the formal school system and delay the birth of a second child. Adolescents in this program receive parenting and health education, family planning counseling and services, classroom instruction, and job training and placement. The program also provides counseling and support services for adolescent fathers. Participants in the program must accept and use a family planning method. For more information, visit: www.jamaica-kidz.com.