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| Practice Type: |
Promising |
| Program Name: |
Teen Pregnancy Project/ Sexual Violence Action Team |
| Organization: |
Saint Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health |
| Web site: |
www.co.ramsey.mn.us |
| Overview: |
The Teen Pregnancy Project (TPP) began in 1999. In 2004 it merged with the Sexual Violence Action Team (SVAT), which began in 2001 as a community response to a rape that occurred in a Saint Paul high school. At the core of the combined project is a vibrant and diverse coalition of approximately 75 organizations, with an active core of approximately 30 professionals from throughout the county who work with youth and share an interest in sexual violence and teen pregnancy issues. The TPP/SVAT promotes healthy youth development, focusing on sexual violence and teen pregnancy. The health department staff recognize and are committed to addressing the significant disparities that exist for youth of color with these health and safety issues. The health department has come to realize that sexual abuse and other forms of sexual violence are epidemic among pregnant and parenting teens. The causes of teen pregnancy and sexual violence are complex. Research and practice have shown there is no one simple answer or model for effective prevention.
Yet, evaluation and research do provide the health department with important knowledge for moving forward more effectively. The Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting’s (MOAPPP) Teen Pregnancy Puzzle has been a helpful tool for describing the TPP approach to teen pregnancy prevention and organizing the coalition. It’s important that all pieces of the puzzle should be part of the TPP/SVAT coalition. You may view/download the puzzle at this website: http://www.moappp.org/infoexchange/pregnancypuzzle.asp The TPP/SVAT was formed to:
- Decrease isolation of persons working on teen pregnancy and sexual violence issues in Ramsey County communities.
- Increase their access to best practice information and culture-specific resources.
- Increase public understanding of teen pregnancy and sexual violence issues and effective prevention.
- Improve public policy related to teen pregnancy and sexual violence issues.
The program’s objectives include:
- Developing and continuing to expand a community coalition for members’ capacity building and leadership development.
- Increasing use of culture-specific practices.
- Increasing community awareness and understanding of teen pregnancy and sexual violence issues.
- Promoting teen health services.
- Encouraging schools to implement effective comprehensive sexuality education.
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| Year Submitted: |
2004 |
| Responsiveness and Innovation: |
The public health needs addressed involve teen pregnancy, youth sexual violence, and the related disparities among youth of color. The group determined these needs by examining and discussing pertinent local, state and national data and obtaining extensive input from practitioners in the community who work with youth and their families and share concern about these issues. The health department also took into account recommendations by leading state and national organizations. The health department has not taken a "cookie cutter" approach but has worked hard to apply the best practice in a way that is truly responsive to the unique nature of the particular community members. Staff purposefully continue to grow the project with ongoing outreach and recruitment of new participants. The project is dynamic and has evolved over time in ways that respond to members’ needs and ideas. The project includes five culture specific groups, reflecting the following dominant racial and ethnic groups in the county: African American, American Indian, Asian, Latino, and multicultural. Key advisors from these groups guide the public health department staff in planning the groups’ meetings and events. These groups meet separately during the year and determine their own culture-specific action steps.
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| Agency and Community Roles: |
The role of St. Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health in this practice is to provide project leadership, staff support, and assurance that the project stays on course and moves forward in a meaningful way, and to assemble the coalition and culture-specific groups. Approximately 75 community organizations have been involved with the project in various ways, such as providing input to help ensure that the project is useful to them in their work and participating in project meetings, events, and activities. In order to foster collaboration with community partners, this agency’s staff relies heavily on developing and maintaining relationships with community organizations and their key staff. This agency works to maintain a welcoming atmosphere and always seeks to help people connect in a meaningful way with the project and with others already involved. The agency’s staff members seek to be good communicators, sharing information openly and in a timely fashion. The staff also strives to listen and respond to what is happening with practitioners, youth and their families, and best practice knowledge. In addition, this staff hopes to be a resource to those on the frontline doing the hard work.
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| Costs and Expenditures: |
Funding for this project includes a $30,000 grant from three local foundations for start-up funding for the first three years of the project (1999-2001) and in-kind .75 FTE from the public health department. From July 2002 to June 2003, funding included $140,000 from the state’s tobacco settlement and 1 FTE public health agency staff member. There is currently a very small budget (less than $2500) to draw on for occasional needs such as speakers, nametags, meeting supplies, photocopying, and mailing expenses. Currently, due to recent funding cuts, this agency provides 1.5 FTE to the project. The project relies heavily on things such as free meeting space and use of resources that have already been purchased by partner organizations or are available in-kind. Individuals contribute out of their pockets for meeting refreshments.
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| Implementation: |
The public health needs addressed involve teen pregnancy, youth sexual violence, and the related disparities among youth of color. The group determined these needs by examining and discussing pertinent local, state and national data and obtaining extensive input from practitioners in the community who work with youth and their families and share concern about these issues. The health department also took into account recommendations by leading state and national organizations. The health department has not taken a "cookie cutter" approach but has worked hard to apply the best practice in a way that is truly responsive to the unique nature of the particular community members. Staff purposefully continue to grow the project with ongoing outreach and recruitment of new participants. The project is dynamic and has evolved over time in ways that respond to members’ needs and ideas. The project includes five culture specific groups, reflecting the following dominant racial and ethnic groups in the county: African American, American Indian, Asian, Latino, and multicultural. Key advisors from these groups guide the public health department staff in planning the groups’ meetings and events. These groups meet separately during the year and determine their own culture-specific action steps.
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| Sustainability: |
The public health agency expects to continue the staff and limited resource support through 2005, and perhaps longer. The collaborative nature of the project will, no doubt, continue to leverage in-kind resources as needed, on a limited scale.
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| Lessons Learned: |
- It is essential to have dedicated staff that is highly skilled and competent to coordinate the project is essential.
- Maintaining and growing a healthy coalition is time and energy intensive for staff. It requires fundamental respect and appreciation for coalition participants and the work they do with youth and families.
- It is also important to deliberately seek a diverse assortment of coalition members, including for example, people who are from a mix of ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as from a diverse mix of professions, including economic security, teen parent services, chemical abuse prevention and intervention, teen health services, healthy youth development, sexual violence prevention and intervention, school support, comprehensive sexuality education, responsible media messages, parent and other caring adult involvement, faith communities and higher education.
- A close working relationship with the statewide teen pregnancy organization for partnership, consultation and technical assistance has been invaluable (Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention & Parenting).
- A commitment over time to this kind of endeavor is essential. The initial three years allowed the health department to create a project that was well grounded and connected throughout the community. The health department has continued to build on that. In the fourth year, with a significant infusion of financial resources, the health department was able to take the project to new heights. As year five begins, even with a lean budget and staff support, the program staff expect to be able to continue to do meaningful work because of the coalition members’ relationships and commitment to this work and the collective creativity that exists.
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