Births to Teens
Phelps County
Phelps County Community Partnership
Core Result: Children and Families Healthy
Benchmark: Teen Pregnancy Rate
February 2002
Objective
To decrease the teen pregnancy rate in Phelps County to a five-year average (2000-2005) that is below 50 births per 1000 girls, ages 15 to 19.
Strategies
The Partnership established a Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy Action Team to raise awareness of the problem of teen pregnancy in the community and to develop strategies to address this issue. The “Team” includes representatives from MMP, the County Health Department, the local media, schoolteachers, school board members, the University Extension, Prevention Consultants of Missouri, Planned Parenthood, and Caring Communities.
An additional strategy includes a MMP (mentoring program) that works with teen parents to promote successful parenting and life skills.
Successes
As of December 31st, 50 youth participating in Youth Mentoring Programs either had a child or were expecting, however only two had a second pregnancy (4% repeat teen pregnancy rate vs. 21% state rate for 2000).
Another Success
A PSA campaign was initiated on six area radio stations asking parents to “talk to their children…. raise awareness now instead of grandchildren later.” Because of relationships developed with local media through the Action Team, all ads were FREE!!
Challenges
The Action Team is trying to implement a survey in schools for statistical information on the sexual activity of youth in the community. Our next challenge is to adopt a common survey to be used by all school districts in the county.
Observations
We have discovered that a number of youth do not live at home. Many of them live with friends, moving throughout the week; some even live in vehicles. Without secure homes these youth often participate in risky behaviors; drug and alcohol use, unprotected sex. etc.
Research indicates that only 33% of adolescent parents complete high school. Seventy-four percent of MMP participants have completed high school, GED, and are continuing education.
Results
The 2001 Kids Count Report showed the teen pregnancy rate for Phelps County dropped 16% from the 2000 report. The rate was below 50 births per 1000 for the first time since before 1994.
Funding/Return on Investment
Caring Community dollars were used to facilitate the Action Team’s agenda and for administrative support for MMP. The awareness campaigns were funded through in-kind donations from the media.
For every dollar of Caring Communities funding, the Phelps County Community Partnership was able to leverage $11.82 of additional funding from other sources.
Cost Savings
According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy the United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Teen pregnancy cost the United States at least $7 billion annually. Nearly four in 10 young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20—nearly one million a year. Eight in ten of these pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent are to unmarried teens. www.teenpregnancy.org
Barriers/Road Blocks
The Action Team believes that community education and awareness are key components to mobilizing community action. This issue is a community concern and not just an issue for individual families or organizations.
An additional barrier is lack of services for youth who are 17 years old. Seventeen year olds are not recognized as old enough to be on their own, but are too old to be part of assistance programs for younger youth including assistance from DFS.
