Alliance Advocate - Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy

6
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
56
Patricia Quinn
Executive Director
Board of Directors
Lisa Thurau-Gray, Esq.
President
Jennifer Valenzuela, MSW,
MPH, LICSW
Vice-President
Michael Giles
Treasurer
Claudia Trevor Wright, Esq.
Clerk
Wendy Weiser
TPPAB Liaison
Kelley Curry
Wes Eberle
Bettina Sawhill Espe, MS
Lindsay Ervin, Esq.
Diane Felicio, PhD
Joanne Lawrence, MA, MBA
Roberta Sanders, MSW
Veronica Serrato, Esq.
Tanja Walter, MBA
To learn more about
supporting the Alliance,
contact Deputy Director,
Claire Mooney,
at 617.482.9122, x109.
REGISTER NOW!
STATEWIDE CONFERENCE
& A nnua l M eetin g
Teen Pregnancy Institute:
Expanding Opportunities for Youth and Young Families
Thursday, October 23, 2008
DCU Center, Worcester .
8:00 am -4:00 pm
Keynote speaker: Nicole Lynn Lewis
Former teen parent, inspirational speaker
Register online: .
www.massteenpregnancy.org
Funding was made possible by Cooperative Agreement #5U65/DPI25007 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DESIGN: GJ NELSON + COMPANY
www.gjnelson.com
56
Alliance Advocate
Contents
Summer 2008: Teen Pregnancy in the Spotlight
Teen Pregnancy
in the Spotlight . . . . . 1
On-Site Daycare
in High Schools . . . . . 1
Expansion of
Alliance Partners . . . . . 2
Policy Update . . . . . . . 2
Partners in
Prevention . . . . . . . . 3
Member Spotlight . . . 4
News From
the Field . . . . . . . . . . 4
Alliance Update . . . . . 5
Upcoming Events . . . . 5
Register Now! . . . . . . 6
Massachusetts Alliance
on Teen Pregnancy
105 Chauncy Street, 8th Floor
Boston MA 02111
617.482.9122 Main
617.482.9129 Fax
www.massteenpregnancy.org
The Massachusetts Alliance .
This summer, a spike in pregnancies among students at Gloucester High School set off an international media
storm that was sustained by a high-profile celebrity giving birth and a number of television shows focusing on
teen pregnancy. Like many professionals in the teen pregnancy field, the Alliance found itself answering reporters’
calls, interview requests, and questions from friends, family, and colleagues from as far away as the U.K. and
Australia. The media attention gave the Alliance the welcome chance to promote our support for pregnancy
prevention as well as comprehensive teen parent services, and to offer our vision of what teens need to
prevent pregnancy:
• Access to information, including comprehensive sexuality education and information from their parents and
other trusted adults;
• Access to condoms and contraception for sexually active youth; and
• A perception of opportunity and hope for a bright future.
The importance of hope moved front and center when the issue of intended teen pregnancy hit the media.
Alliance members working with young people on a daily basis know that many teens are ambivalent about
becoming pregnant, and some may be happy to discover they are pregnant. While it may have surprised us
at the Alliance that this was news to so much of America, it highlighted for many adults that teens need more
than contraception and information; they need to have a good reason not to get pregnant.
As part of a comprehensive response to teen pregnancy, officials in Gloucester invited a panel of experts
in adolescent health and teen pregnancy to present to the Gloucester school committee. The Alliance
participated in this panel as the statewide expert in science-based approaches to teen pregnancy prevention.
Executive Director Patricia Quinn spoke about the comprehensive programs shown to be effective in changing
sexual behaviors among youth. The Alliance will continue to offer its expertise in science-based approaches
to teen pregnancy prevention to Gloucester as they implement their response to the needs of youth in
their community.
on Teen Pregnancy
provides statewide leadership
to prevent adolescent pregnancy
and to promote quality services
for pregnant and parenting teens
and their children through policy
analysis, education, research,
and advocacy.
Partners in Prevention
is a project of the Massachusetts
Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
designed to support
communities in understanding
issues related to teen pregnancy
and teen pregnancy prevention.
By providing information,
technical assistance and resources,
Partners in Prevention aims to
increase the capacity of
youth-serving professionals to
reduce teen pregnancy in the
90
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
communities they serve.
On-Site Daycare in High Schools: What Research Tells Us
Do school-based child care programs for teen parents contribute to teen
pregnancy? The Alliance conducted a review of current research to find out.
The short answer is, there appears to be no research that such programs affect
the teen pregnancy rate among non-pregnant or parenting teens in high schools
where they are located. The literature does demonstrate that STPPCs relate to
greater educational attainment, fewer rapid repeat pregnancies, and greater
economic stability among teen parents, as well as better developmental outcomes
for their children and less public spending. The Alliance strongly supports STPPCs
because they are integral to the well-being of teen parents and their children and
essential to teen parents’ educational attainment.
Five studies demonstrate that STPPCs promote greater educational attainment.
For instance, Diane Fuscaldo et al. found that 84% of participants completed high
school, while only 41% of comparison participants completed high school.
Five studies also show that STPPCs reduce the likelihood of rapid repeat births.
In one study, Lois Sadler et al. evaluated an STPPC that provided education and Young mother and her child at Teen Parent Lobby Day
support services. After two years, the subsequent birth rate to participants (6%) was much lower than national
subsequent birth rates (25%-33%) to teen parents not receiving education and support services.
STPPCs also enhance economic stability as evidenced by three studies. For example, Fuscaldo et al. found that STPPC
participants were more likely to be employed or in school than comparison group participants (90% versus 53%).
Additionally, Campbell et al. found that 3 ½ years after their child’s birth, 70% of STPPC mothers versus 58% of
comparison mothers were not receiving welfare.
Lois Sadler’s comparison of STPPC participants and national data suggests that STPPCs enhance several indicators of
child health and development. Two other studies produced similar findings.
The positive outcomes related to STPPCs are also associated with savings in public spending. Dorn and Fee found in
1992 that for each teen mother, an STPPC saved $855 in short-term Medicaid costs and $27,197 in tax dollars.
Sources on Page 5.
2
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
Expansion of Alliance Partners
in Prevention Project in Support
of Latino Youth
Massachusetts is a national leader in science-based teen
pregnancy prevention, and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) are investing in our approach. The
Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy is one of only four
statewide coalitions across the country to be awarded a
supplement to our CDC funding. For the past 3 years, via our
Partners in Prevention project, we have worked in communities throughout Massachusetts to increase the number of youth
reached by effective teen pregnancy prevention programs and
strategies. Beginning in October, we will receive an additional
$230,000 to partner with the Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education and local school and
community leaders to support effective, researched teen
pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention strategies and programs
within schools. In particular, communities with high Latino teen
birth rates, a high rate of STDs among youth of color, and/or a
significant increase in teen birth rates from 2005-2006, will be
eligible for intensive partnership with the Alliance to increase and
improve programs and interventions aimed at improving sexual
health and reducing risky behavior. We hope to create a dialogue
about the sexual health needs of Latino youth and look toward
what evidence-based solutions communities can use to address
this issue in a culturally competent way.
The JSI Research and Training Institute is our CDC regional
partner in this expansion, and will collaborate with the Alliance
on developing an advisory board of state agency and Latino
organization leaders in preparation for a proposed spring
2009 summit of school and community organization teams
from targeted cities.
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
POLICY UPDATE
A lliance U pdate
Upcoming Events
In July, the Governor signed a $28.1 billion dollar budget with $122.5
million in vetoes. However, the Governor did not veto or cut any
funding related to teen pregnancy prevention or teen parent services!
In the current economic climate, we were grateful that the final
fiscal 2009 budget at least level-funded all of the line items the Alliance
supported. Young Parent programs and Healthy Families programs
received slight increases in funding and the line items that include
Young Parent Support programs and Teen Parent Child Care
programs also received increases in funding.
Summer at the Alliance is usually a little
bit quieter than the rest of the year. It is a time
when we as an organization reflect on the past
year and plan for our upcoming endeavors.Not
so this summer! In 2008, the summer flew by in
a whirlwind of events and news.
In early summer, in the midst of calls and meetings regarding the increase in teen pregnancy at
Patricia Quinn
Gloucester High School, the Alliance received
word that we had won a second grant from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to promote science-based approaches to
teen pregnancy prevention. This one-year grant will allow the
Alliance to partner with school personnel and community organizations
in areas with high birth rates among Latino youth to choose and
implement sexuality education programs that have been proven
effective. The Alliance is looking forward to hiring a Prevention
Program Coordinator to work with our existing team on the project.
To be successful in this project the Alliance will need your help. In
order to successfully implement new curricula, schools will need the
support of their communities. We hope you will lend your voice in
support of comprehensive sexuality education and programs that
work in your community.
This summer, the Alliance was grateful for the support of our interns.
Thank you for dedicating yourselves to our organization.
Jessica Boling, Graduate Policy Intern, Boston College
Kimberly Mook, Policy Intern, Washington University
Lauren Taylor, Education Intern, Tufts University
Alliance Workshop Series
Over the several months preceding the release of the final 2009
budget, the Alliance engaged in a range of advocacy activities. We
met with legislative aids; delivered letters, fact sheets, and postcards
to legislators; and sent action alerts. Thank you to all of our partners
who helped advocate for these important services! Please remember
to thank your legislators and Governor Patrick.
To find out who represents you, go to
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
To contact the Governor, call 617-725-4005.
Account
FY08 Final
Budget
FY09 Final
Budget
Alliance
Recommendation
Pregnancy Prevention DPH 4530-9000
$4 M
$4 M
$5 M .
Young Parent Program (YPP) $4.3 M YPP
Part of DTA 4401-1000
$27 M Total
$4.6 M YPP
$27 M Total
$6 M YPP .
$30 M Total
Teen Parent Child Care (TPCC) TPCC not
Part of EEC 3000-4050
specified
$167 M Total
TPCC not
specified
$197 M Total
$17 M TPCC .
$198 M Total .
Teen Living Program DTA 4403-2119
$6.9 M
$6.9 M .
$6.9 M
Young Parent Support Program $2.3 YPS
(YPS) Part of DSS 4800-0038
$294 M Total
$2.3 YPS
$2.6 M .
$313 M Total $313 M Total
Healthy Families EEC 3000-7000
$13.1 M
$12.7 M
Lisa Thurau-Gray accepts a commendation from the office of Senator Dianne Wilkerson
$13.1 M .
* M = million
In Other Policy News…
Caitlin Moniz and Prevention Program Assistant Nadiyah Humber at event for Lisa Thurau-Gray
Come November, the Alliance will kick off its Promise Project
Survey. Through the Promise Project, we aim to increase the
number of teen parents who complete high school and pursue
higher education. This survey, which we will conduct across the
state, will allow us to better understand what policies and practices
influence pregnant and parenting teens’ educational attainment.
We will use this information to advocate for policies and practices
that give teen parents the best chance at reaching their educational
goals. The Alliance will be reaching out to teen parent providers
to help identify teens to take this survey.
If you are interested in helping us connect to potential teen
participants, please contact Liz Umbro, public policy manager
at 617-482-9122 x101, [email protected].
On-Site Daycare in High Schools: What Research Tells Us Sources from Page 1
Sources:Campbell, F.A., Breitmayer, B., & Ramey, C.T. (1986) Disadvantaged Single Teenage Mothers and Their
Children: Consequences of Free Educational Day Care. Family Relations,
35, p. 63-68.
Dorn S. & Colleen F (1992) Teen Parent Day Care in Massachusetts: Helping Young Families Help Themselves.
The Alliance for Young Families. Boston, MA.
Fuscaldo, D., Kaye, F.W., & Philiber, S. (1998) Evaluation of a Program for Parenting. Families in Society: The
Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 79 (1), 53-61.
Sadler, L. S., Swartz, M. K., Ryan-Krause, P., Seitz, V., Meadows-Oliver, M., Grey, M., and Clemmens, D (2007)
Promising Outcomes in Teen Mothers Enrolled in a School-Based
Parent Support Program and Child Care Center. Journal of School Health, 77 (3), 121-130.
Stephens, S.A, Wolf, W.C., & Batten, S.T. (1999) Improving Outcomes for Teen Parents and Their Young Children
by Strengthening School-Based Programs. The Center for Assessment and Policy Development, Trenton, NJ.
Warrick, L., Christianson, J.B., Walruff, J., & Cook, P.C. (1993) Educational Outcomes in Teenage Pregnancy and
Parenting Programs: Results from a Demonstration. Family Planning Perspectives, 25 (4), 148-156.
Williams, E. Gillis, S., & Lois S. (2001) Effects of an Urban High School-Based Clinic Care Center on Self-Selected
Adolescent Parents and Their Children. Journal of School Health,
71 (2), 47-57.
The Alliance will be hosting a workshop series throughout
the winter and spring. Our goal is to bring our workshops to
more cities this year. If your office or organization is interested
in donating space to the Alliance for 15 to 30 people, please
contact Claire Mooney at 617.482.9122 x109 or email
[email protected]. Recruitment for presenters
will begin in early November. Watch your email for more
information.
Part of the Solution
The Alliance could not do any of its critical work without the
support of our community. In June, the Alliance celebrated its
out going Board Chair Lisa Thurau-Gray at the Living Room. The
Massachusetts State Senate honored Ms. Thurau-Gray’s work
with a Commendation at the event. We would like to thank all of
those friends, family and colleagues who came to celebrate Lisa
Thurau-Gray’s dedication to the Alliance as Board Chair for the
past 9 years. The Alliance greatly appreciates all of the expertise
Lisa has brought to the Alliance during her tenure.
The Alliance would also like to thank the following donors who
have offered their generous support:
American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts
Board of Directors, Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Living Room
O’Neill and Associates
George and Ann Macomber
Margaret Mooney
Beatrice Phear
David Roberts
Suffolk University
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Wainwright Bank
5
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
Partners in Prevention
It seems at times that one can’t open the newspaper without seeing something
about teen pregnancy. Pregnant celebrities ages 16-45 grace the covers of
magazines, TV shows depict teen parenting, and news media report that from
2005-2006 teen birth rates in the U.S. increased for the first time since 1991.
Clearly our society is interested in teen pregnancy – and the question asked
most often is “why are teens getting pregnant?”
Given the portrayals of adolescent pregnancy in the media, which many
see as glamorizing teen parenthood, some wonder if the media is to blame.
However, there is little data to support the claim that media messages
about teen pregnancy directly cause young people to get pregnant and
become parents.
Youth themselves say the media is not their go-to source when they are
making decisions about sex. In a 2006 survey, teens ages 15-19 say that
parents most influence their decisions about sex (39% of respondents),
followed by friends (21%), “someone else” (12%), and religious leaders (8%).
Only 4% of teens say the media influences their decisions about sex.
We do know that the media supplies our culture with a never-ending stream
of sexualized messages and images. For example, a 2005 study of the Kaiser
Family Foundation reports that the number of sexual scenes on TV nearly
doubled since 1998, while messages about sexual risks and responsibilities are
harder to find; among the 20 top-rated shows for teens, only 10% of those
with sexual content addressed the risks and consequences of sexual activity.
The media does create a sort of “cultural wallpaper” of values about
gender, relationships, and sexuality, and frequently girls and women are
overly sexualized. The American Psychological Association reports that
sexualization of girls has direct health consequences related to teen pregnancy:
internalizing media messages portraying females as objects can lessen the
ability to negotiate sexual activity and use of condoms and contraception.
Providers, parents, and other adults are enormously influential with youth and
can support them by giving them what they need: factual information about
sexuality, guidance on sexual values and decision-making, modeling positive
relationships between men and women, information and support for using
condoms and contraceptives, helping them envision their future selves, and
connecting them with pathways for realizing their goals.
Sources: Albert, B. (2007). With one voice: America’s adults and teens sound off about teen
pregnancy. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
American Psychological Association. (2007). Report of the APA task force on the sexualization
of girls. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved August 31, 2007 from http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/
sexualization.html.
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2005). Sex on TV 4: Executive summary. Menlo Park, CA: Henry J.
Kaiser Family Foundation.
Facts & Stats
Young people report that parents are most influential
when it comes to making decisions about sex. Adults
tend to overestimate the influence of the media on teens.
“When it comes to your/teens’ decisions about sex,
who is most influential?”: U.S. Adults and Teens, 2007
50
40
Percent
Does the Media Cause Teen Pregnancy?
41
40
39
34
37
30
21
20
13
10
0
10
4
Friends
Parents
Teens ages 15-19
Parents of Teens
All Adults
The media
Most teens ages 12-19 report having had a helpful
conversation with their parents about sex.
“Have you had a helpful conversation with your parents about
delaying sex and avoiding teen pregnancy?”: Teens ages 12-19, 2006
No
29%
Yes
71%
Most adults and teens wish the media showed more/
talked more about the consequences of sex, including
teen pregnancy.
“Do you wish the media showed more/talked more about
the consequences of sex, including teen pregnancy?”: U.S.
Adults and Teens, 2006
100
Percent saying “yes”
56
3
80
76
72
60
40
20
0
Teens ages 12-19
All Adults
And three-quarters of teens (68% of boys, 82% of girls)
say that when a TV show or character they like deals
with teen pregnancy, it makes them think more about
the consequences of sex.
Sources: Albert, B. (2007). With one voice: America’s adults and
teens sound off about teen pregnancy. Washington, DC: National
Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
4
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
MEMBER Spotlight
News From the Field
New Community Partnerships
New Resources on
Managing Controversy
In recent months, the Alliance has developed partnerships with
Massachusetts communities working to address what teens need
to prevent pregnancy and STDs. The Partners in Prevention
project, with generous funding from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, assists these partners in selecting,
implementing, and evaluating science-based approaches to teen
pregnancy prevention. We use a 10-step process called Getting
to Outcomes – adapted from the substance abuse prevention
field – to help communities conduct a needs assessment,
examine what programs are most likely to positively impact
young people, and implement and evaluate science based
teen pregnancy and STD prevention programs.
Lawrence
Over the summer a dedicated group of youth-serving providers
has been meeting regularly to undergo the GTO process to
select science-based programming for the youth they target.
Family Service Inc, Health Quarters, the Teen Living Program
of the YWCA of Greater Lawrence, and RFK Children’s
Action Corps are developing logic models and assessing
programs for their fit with a particular group of youth. With
incentive funds from the Alliance, these partners anticipate
selecting and implementing science-based or promising
programs in the coming year. Stay tuned!
Framingham
The Alliance has been working with the Framingham Teen
Pregnancy Coalition, including representatives of the
Framingham Public Schools, the town Board of Health, community-based organizations, and the United Way of Tri-County.
This coalition has come together to address a recent spike in
teen birth rates, and is looking at science-based approaches to
programming.
Gloucester
Following the national media coverage of teen pregnancy in
Gloucester, the town has taken a number of steps to engage the
community in an appropriate response that will support young
people and help them make healthy choices. The Alliance is
partnering with Gloucester to support them in this effort.
For more information on this project, please contact the
Prevention Program Manager at [email protected]
Teen mother and her baby at Teen Parent Lobby Day
It’s no secret that adults’ best efforts to help youth learn about
sexuality and pregnancy prevention can cause a stir. The national
organization, Advocates for Youth, has developed some new
materials to help communities keep controversy from quashing
their efforts to institute comprehensive sexuality education and
other teen pregnancy prevention strategies.
Some tips from the experts:
1. Create a working group to support teen pregnancy
prevention. Solicit the support of multiple stakeholder
groups in the community at the outset.
2. Find an articulate leader or spokesperson to represent
your perspective in community meetings and with the media.
3. Know your opponents. Be prepared ahead of time for
controversy. Don’t ignore the opposition.
4. Stick with the facts. Know your topic inside and out,
and don’t participate in emotional debates.
5. Anticipate when you are likely to face controversy. Expect
controversy in public settings when adolescent sexuality is the
topic of conversation. Stay cool and keep focused on your
issue. Public settings include online in chat rooms, on blogs,
email correspondence, and in the media.
6. Prepare to answer pointed questions in public settings.
Prepare for tough questions from your opponents or
challengers.
7. Prepare to respond to questions from the press. Create
short “sound byte” responses to anticipated questions.
Compile a list of talking points with the information you would
most like to see published in a news piece, and give these
talking points a great deal of thought ahead of time. When
speaking with the press, be cautious, brief, positive, and direct.
Simple messages are best.
8. Anticipate “hot potato” questions. Practice handling some
of the most common “hot potato” questions that can come
up when the issue at hand is adolescents and sex. Advocates
for Youth has compiled the top 25 “hot potato” questions
that people face when discussing teen pregnancy prevention
strategies. Prepare responses to these questions that bring the
discussion back to your issue.
Sources: Huberman, B., Klaus, T., and Gonzalez, T. (2008). Curriculum
controversy: Lessons from the field. Strategies for Organizational Success.
Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth.
Huberman, B., Klaus, T., and Gonzalez, T. (2008). Hot potatoes: Keeping cool
in the midst of controversy. Strategies for Organizational Success. Washington,
DC: Advocates for Youth.
For these and other free resources on handling controversy and
working with the media, visit the Advocates for Youth website at
www.advocatesforyouth.org.
2
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
Expansion of Alliance Partners
in Prevention Project in Support
of Latino Youth
Massachusetts is a national leader in science-based teen
pregnancy prevention, and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) are investing in our approach. The
Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy is one of only four
statewide coalitions across the country to be awarded a
supplement to our CDC funding. For the past 3 years, via our
Partners in Prevention project, we have worked in communities throughout Massachusetts to increase the number of youth
reached by effective teen pregnancy prevention programs and
strategies. Beginning in October, we will receive an additional
$230,000 to partner with the Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education and local school and
community leaders to support effective, researched teen
pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention strategies and programs
within schools. In particular, communities with high Latino teen
birth rates, a high rate of STDs among youth of color, and/or a
significant increase in teen birth rates from 2005-2006, will be
eligible for intensive partnership with the Alliance to increase and
improve programs and interventions aimed at improving sexual
health and reducing risky behavior. We hope to create a dialogue
about the sexual health needs of Latino youth and look toward
what evidence-based solutions communities can use to address
this issue in a culturally competent way.
The JSI Research and Training Institute is our CDC regional
partner in this expansion, and will collaborate with the Alliance
on developing an advisory board of state agency and Latino
organization leaders in preparation for a proposed spring
2009 summit of school and community organization teams
from targeted cities.
Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
POLICY UPDATE
A lliance U pdate
Upcoming Events
In July, the Governor signed a $28.1 billion dollar budget with $122.5
million in vetoes. However, the Governor did not veto or cut any
funding related to teen pregnancy prevention or teen parent services!
In the current economic climate, we were grateful that the final
fiscal 2009 budget at least level-funded all of the line items the Alliance
supported. Young Parent programs and Healthy Families programs
received slight increases in funding and the line items that include
Young Parent Support programs and Teen Parent Child Care
programs also received increases in funding.
Summer at the Alliance is usually a little
bit quieter than the rest of the year. It is a time
when we as an organization reflect on the past
year and plan for our upcoming endeavors.Not
so this summer! In 2008, the summer flew by in
a whirlwind of events and news.
In early summer, in the midst of calls and meetings regarding the increase in teen pregnancy at
Patricia Quinn
Gloucester High School, the Alliance received
word that we had won a second grant from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention to promote science-based approaches to
teen pregnancy prevention. This one-year grant will allow the
Alliance to partner with school personnel and community organizations
in areas with high birth rates among Latino youth to choose and
implement sexuality education programs that have been proven
effective. The Alliance is looking forward to hiring a Prevention
Program Coordinator to work with our existing team on the project.
To be successful in this project the Alliance will need your help. In
order to successfully implement new curricula, schools will need the
support of their communities. We hope you will lend your voice in
support of comprehensive sexuality education and programs that
work in your community.
This summer, the Alliance was grateful for the support of our interns.
Thank you for dedicating yourselves to our organization.
Jessica Boling, Graduate Policy Intern, Boston College
Kimberly Mook, Policy Intern, Washington University
Lauren Taylor, Education Intern, Tufts University
Alliance Workshop Series
Over the several months preceding the release of the final 2009
budget, the Alliance engaged in a range of advocacy activities. We
met with legislative aids; delivered letters, fact sheets, and postcards
to legislators; and sent action alerts. Thank you to all of our partners
who helped advocate for these important services! Please remember
to thank your legislators and Governor Patrick.
To find out who represents you, go to
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
To contact the Governor, call 617-725-4005.
Account
FY08 Final
Budget
FY09 Final
Budget
Alliance
Recommendation
Pregnancy Prevention DPH 4530-9000
$4 M
$4 M
$5 M .
Young Parent Program (YPP) $4.3 M YPP
Part of DTA 4401-1000
$27 M Total
$4.6 M YPP
$27 M Total
$6 M YPP .
$30 M Total
Teen Parent Child Care (TPCC) TPCC not
Part of EEC 3000-4050
specified
$167 M Total
TPCC not
specified
$197 M Total
$17 M TPCC .
$198 M Total .
Teen Living Program DTA 4403-2119
$6.9 M
$6.9 M .
$6.9 M
Young Parent Support Program $2.3 YPS
(YPS) Part of DSS 4800-0038
$294 M Total
$2.3 YPS
$2.6 M .
$313 M Total $313 M Total
Healthy Families EEC 3000-7000
$13.1 M
$12.7 M
Lisa Thurau-Gray accepts a commendation from the office of Senator Dianne Wilkerson
$13.1 M .
* M = million
In Other Policy News…
Caitlin Moniz and Prevention Program Assistant Nadiyah Humber at event for Lisa Thurau-Gray
Come November, the Alliance will kick off its Promise Project
Survey. Through the Promise Project, we aim to increase the
number of teen parents who complete high school and pursue
higher education. This survey, which we will conduct across the
state, will allow us to better understand what policies and practices
influence pregnant and parenting teens’ educational attainment.
We will use this information to advocate for policies and practices
that give teen parents the best chance at reaching their educational
goals. The Alliance will be reaching out to teen parent providers
to help identify teens to take this survey.
If you are interested in helping us connect to potential teen
participants, please contact Liz Umbro, public policy manager
at 617-482-9122 x101, [email protected].
On-Site Daycare in High Schools: What Research Tells Us Sources from Page 1
Sources:Campbell, F.A., Breitmayer, B., & Ramey, C.T. (1986) Disadvantaged Single Teenage Mothers and Their
Children: Consequences of Free Educational Day Care. Family Relations,
35, p. 63-68.
Dorn S. & Colleen F (1992) Teen Parent Day Care in Massachusetts: Helping Young Families Help Themselves.
The Alliance for Young Families. Boston, MA.
Fuscaldo, D., Kaye, F.W., & Philiber, S. (1998) Evaluation of a Program for Parenting. Families in Society: The
Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 79 (1), 53-61.
Sadler, L. S., Swartz, M. K., Ryan-Krause, P., Seitz, V., Meadows-Oliver, M., Grey, M., and Clemmens, D (2007)
Promising Outcomes in Teen Mothers Enrolled in a School-Based
Parent Support Program and Child Care Center. Journal of School Health, 77 (3), 121-130.
Stephens, S.A, Wolf, W.C., & Batten, S.T. (1999) Improving Outcomes for Teen Parents and Their Young Children
by Strengthening School-Based Programs. The Center for Assessment and Policy Development, Trenton, NJ.
Warrick, L., Christianson, J.B., Walruff, J., & Cook, P.C. (1993) Educational Outcomes in Teenage Pregnancy and
Parenting Programs: Results from a Demonstration. Family Planning Perspectives, 25 (4), 148-156.
Williams, E. Gillis, S., & Lois S. (2001) Effects of an Urban High School-Based Clinic Care Center on Self-Selected
Adolescent Parents and Their Children. Journal of School Health,
71 (2), 47-57.
The Alliance will be hosting a workshop series throughout
the winter and spring. Our goal is to bring our workshops to
more cities this year. If your office or organization is interested
in donating space to the Alliance for 15 to 30 people, please
contact Claire Mooney at 617.482.9122 x109 or email
[email protected]. Recruitment for presenters
will begin in early November. Watch your email for more
information.
Part of the Solution
The Alliance could not do any of its critical work without the
support of our community. In June, the Alliance celebrated its
out going Board Chair Lisa Thurau-Gray at the Living Room. The
Massachusetts State Senate honored Ms. Thurau-Gray’s work
with a Commendation at the event. We would like to thank all of
those friends, family and colleagues who came to celebrate Lisa
Thurau-Gray’s dedication to the Alliance as Board Chair for the
past 9 years. The Alliance greatly appreciates all of the expertise
Lisa has brought to the Alliance during her tenure.
The Alliance would also like to thank the following donors who
have offered their generous support:
American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts
Board of Directors, Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Living Room
O’Neill and Associates
George and Ann Macomber
Margaret Mooney
Beatrice Phear
David Roberts
Suffolk University
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Wainwright Bank
5
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Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
56
Patricia Quinn
Executive Director
Board of Directors
Lisa Thurau-Gray, Esq.
President
Jennifer Valenzuela, MSW,
MPH, LICSW
Vice-President
Michael Giles
Treasurer
Claudia Trevor Wright, Esq.
Clerk
Wendy Weiser
TPPAB Liaison
Kelley Curry
Wes Eberle
Bettina Sawhill Espe, MS
Lindsay Ervin, Esq.
Diane Felicio, PhD
Joanne Lawrence, MA, MBA
Roberta Sanders, MSW
Veronica Serrato, Esq.
Tanja Walter, MBA
To learn more about
supporting the Alliance,
contact Deputy Director,
Claire Mooney,
at 617.482.9122, x109.
REGISTER NOW!
STATEWIDE CONFERENCE
& A nnua l M eetin g
Teen Pregnancy Institute:
Expanding Opportunities for Youth and Young Families
Thursday, October 23, 2008
DCU Center, Worcester .
8:00 am -4:00 pm
Keynote speaker: Nicole Lynn Lewis
Former teen parent, inspirational speaker
Register online: .
www.massteenpregnancy.org
Funding was made possible by Cooperative Agreement #5U65/DPI25007 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DESIGN: GJ NELSON + COMPANY
www.gjnelson.com
56
Alliance Advocate
Contents
Summer 2008: Teen Pregnancy in the Spotlight
Teen Pregnancy
in the Spotlight . . . . . 1
On-Site Daycare
in High Schools . . . . . 1
Expansion of
Alliance Partners . . . . . 2
Policy Update . . . . . . . 2
Partners in
Prevention . . . . . . . . 3
Member Spotlight . . . 4
News From
the Field . . . . . . . . . . 4
Alliance Update . . . . . 5
Upcoming Events . . . . 5
Register Now! . . . . . . 6
Massachusetts Alliance
on Teen Pregnancy
105 Chauncy Street, 8th Floor
Boston MA 02111
617.482.9122 Main
617.482.9129 Fax
www.massteenpregnancy.org
The Massachusetts Alliance .
This summer, a spike in pregnancies among students at Gloucester High School set off an international media
storm that was sustained by a high-profile celebrity giving birth and a number of television shows focusing on
teen pregnancy. Like many professionals in the teen pregnancy field, the Alliance found itself answering reporters’
calls, interview requests, and questions from friends, family, and colleagues from as far away as the U.K. and
Australia. The media attention gave the Alliance the welcome chance to promote our support for pregnancy
prevention as well as comprehensive teen parent services, and to offer our vision of what teens need to
prevent pregnancy:
• Access to information, including comprehensive sexuality education and information from their parents and
other trusted adults;
• Access to condoms and contraception for sexually active youth; and
• A perception of opportunity and hope for a bright future.
The importance of hope moved front and center when the issue of intended teen pregnancy hit the media.
Alliance members working with young people on a daily basis know that many teens are ambivalent about
becoming pregnant, and some may be happy to discover they are pregnant. While it may have surprised us
at the Alliance that this was news to so much of America, it highlighted for many adults that teens need more
than contraception and information; they need to have a good reason not to get pregnant.
As part of a comprehensive response to teen pregnancy, officials in Gloucester invited a panel of experts
in adolescent health and teen pregnancy to present to the Gloucester school committee. The Alliance
participated in this panel as the statewide expert in science-based approaches to teen pregnancy prevention.
Executive Director Patricia Quinn spoke about the comprehensive programs shown to be effective in changing
sexual behaviors among youth. The Alliance will continue to offer its expertise in science-based approaches
to teen pregnancy prevention to Gloucester as they implement their response to the needs of youth in
their community.
on Teen Pregnancy
provides statewide leadership
to prevent adolescent pregnancy
and to promote quality services
for pregnant and parenting teens
and their children through policy
analysis, education, research,
and advocacy.
Partners in Prevention
is a project of the Massachusetts
Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
designed to support
communities in understanding
issues related to teen pregnancy
and teen pregnancy prevention.
By providing information,
technical assistance and resources,
Partners in Prevention aims to
increase the capacity of
youth-serving professionals to
reduce teen pregnancy in the
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Fall Edition Newsletter 2008
communities they serve.
On-Site Daycare in High Schools: What Research Tells Us
Do school-based child care programs for teen parents contribute to teen
pregnancy? The Alliance conducted a review of current research to find out.
The short answer is, there appears to be no research that such programs affect
the teen pregnancy rate among non-pregnant or parenting teens in high schools
where they are located. The literature does demonstrate that TPPCs relate to
greater educational attainment, fewer rapid repeat pregnancies, and greater
economic stability among teen parents, as well as better developmental outcomes
for their children and less public spending. The Alliance strongly supports TPPCs
because they are integral to the well-being of teen parents and their children and
essential to teen parents’ educational attainment.
Five studies demonstrate that TPPCs promote greater educational attainment.
For instance, Diane Fuscaldo et al. found that 84% of participants completed high
school, while only 41% of comparison participants completed high school.
Five studies also show that TPPCs reduce the likelihood of rapid repeat births.
Young mother and her child at Teen Parent Lobby Day
In one study, Lois Sadler et al. evaluated a TPPC that provided education and
support services. After two years, the subsequent birth rate to participants (6%) was much lower than national
subsequent birth rates (25%-33%) to teen parents not receiving education and support services.
TPPCs also enhance economic stability as evidenced by three studies. For example, Fuscaldo et al. found that TPPC
participants were more likely to be employed or in school than comparison group participants (90% versus 53%).
Additionally, Campbell et al. found that 3 ½ years after their child’s birth, 70% of TPPC mothers versus 58% of
comparison mothers were not receiving welfare.
Lois Sadler’s comparison of TPPC participants and national data suggests that TPPCs enhance several indicators of child
health and development. Two other studies produced similar findings.
The positive outcomes related to TPPCs are also associated with savings in public spending. Dorn and Fee found in
1992 that for each teen mother, a TPPC saved $855 in short-term Medicaid costs and $27,197 in tax dollars.
Sources on Page 5.