Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Project Title: Applicant Name: Address: Contact Name: Contact Phone: Email Address: Website Address: Youth RISE Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc. 609 North Fillmore Street, Corinth, MS 38834 Carolyn Gowen 662-416-5328 crgowen@bellsouth.net www.aiming4hf.org Page2 Need for the Project: Mississippi ranks #2 out of 50 states with the highest birth rates and #12 for the most sexually active youth. Located in the rural northeast comer of Mississippi (MS) bordering TN and AL, Aiming for Healthy Families (AFHF) is a community-based, non-profit organization that proposes to implement a sexual risk avoidance education (SRAE) and positive youth development program (PYD) for vulnerable youth in three rural and under-served counties. The program targets 750 youth annually in Alcorn, Itawamba, Tippah Counties. These counties have teen birth rates that exceed the national rate of 17%. For example, Alcorn, Itawamba and Tippah's teen birth rates, 31.4%, 34% and 36.6% exceed the national rate by 185%, 200% and 215% respectively. The goal of the program is to reduce teen pregnancies and STDs/HIV by educating youth on how to voluntarily refrain from non-marital sexual activity. Proposed Services and Target Population: Based on extensive research, our program aligns with the Center for Relationship Education's SMAR Tool assessment of nine elements that are critical for effective SRAE program. Utilizing evidence-based interventions and strategies that have proven effective in delaying sexual initiation, our PYD approach involves a partnership with five school districts. The program targets youth ages 11-19 years in grades 6-12 of all races and ethnicities. The program focuses on addressing risk factors at the youth, family and community level. Middle school youth will receive 8 hours of Choosing the Best (CTB) curriculum and up to 2 hours of PYD activities. High school youth will receive 10 hours of Love Notes 3.0 SRA EBP (Love Notes) curriculum with inclusive PYD activities. Both curricula are evidence based and include healthy relationship skills training. Families/caregivers will be engaged in 60 minutes of parent support education to strengthen family communication and community mobilization activities will be utilized to strengthen capacity within the target communities. Evaluation: A qualified evaluation team will work with staff to collect, track and monitor performance, measure data and evaluate fidelity and progress toward program's goals and objectives. The evaluator will document and report on the project's success in changing behavior, behavior intentions, skills, knowledge and attitudes that are consistent with the outcomes for the program. An annual report of key findings will be disseminated to our key stakeholders Organizational Capacity: For 20 years, Aiming for Healthy Families has served thousands of youths in more than six counties in the state promoting SRAE and other prevention initiatives. Under the leadership of the executive director, who has more than 25 years of adolescent pregnancy prevention experience, the project director manages an experienced project team dedicated to providing youth-centered, culturally-responsive and quality services for our youth, their families and the community.
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