Saturday, May 18, 2024
5/18/2024
New York City (NYC) has seen teen pregnancy rates drop by nearly 70% since 2000, but disparities persist: the teen pregnancy rate remains five times higher among African American and Latina teens than their White-non-Hispanic and Asian peers. Among teens aged 15-19, 80% reported that their pregnancies were unintended. African American and Latino communities suffer disproportionately from high rates of STIs: the rate of Chlamydia within these groups ranges from 2,370 to 4,836 per 100,000 females aged 15-19. In addition, African American and Latino communities more frequently live in the poorest and most segregated neighborhoods of the city. These neighborhoods are historically and disproportionately impacted not only by high rates of unintended teen pregnancy and STI rates, but by low educational attainment, high rates of infant and maternal mortality, diabetes, asthma and incarceration. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has developed an effective model for decreasing teen pregnancy rates in low-resourced neighborhoods that can be scaled up significantly. The New York City Teens Connection Expansion, will build on the successful efforts of New York City Teens Connection (NYCTC), a robust program of DOHMH which works with 155 high schools, 94 clinics and dozens of foster care agencies, colleges and other organizations in the five boroughs to implement evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs for at least 15,000 youth annually. NYCTC increases access to high-quality and teen-friendly comprehensive health care for young people who are at considerable risk. Since 2015, NYCTC has reached nearly 50,000 youth in neighborhoods with the highest rates of teen pregnancy with evidence-based programs and linkages to health care. While we are proud of our impact in decreasing unintended teen pregnancy rates across the city, more must be done to close remaining disparities. By expanding NYCTC services to reach more youth in neighborhoods that have been historically underserved, we are not only providing crucial sexual and reproductive health education, but also investing in community health, education, and self-efficacy so the benefits of this program are sustainable. NYCTC will work through partnerships and existing systems to bring evidence-based programs and clinic linkages to reach over 100,000 youth aged 13-19 after the three-year grant cycle. Work will be situated in communities with teen birth rates above the national and citywide averages situated in The South Bronx, North and Central Brooklyn, and East Harlem. NYCTC proposes to reach 33,000 young people annually in these communities with five evidence-based programs. Reducing the Risk, already recommended by the NYC Department of Education (DOE), will be delivered annually to students in traditional high schools, and Teen Health Project will be delivered to students in transfer and international high schools. Making Proud Choices! will be delivered to middle school students, Making a Difference! will be delivered to students with cognitive impairments in District 75 schools that educate special education students, and Seventeen Days will be delivered to youth in all sites that interact with youth including clinics, foster care agencies, colleges and other youth-serving organizations. All youth in partnering schools will also be linked to local, high-quality, “teen-friendly” clinics that provide quality sexual and reproductive health services to young people; teachers who will be trained to implement the curricula will incorporate a visit to the linked clinic within each evidence-based program. NYCTC will partner with DOE’s Office of School Wellness Programs to recruit and support high schools, middle schools and District 75 schools, and with 94 existing clinical partners to provide health care linkages.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
