Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
Meeting Street requests support to build a system-wide approach towards reducing teen pregnancy and STI rates among Hispanic/Latina (H/L) females, ages 15-19, who reside within the geographic boundaries of the City of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Meeting Street will engage existing change agents and community stakeholders to create a resource network for teen empowerment based on the values of racial justice, reproductive justice, evidence-based/informed practices, trauma-informed care, health equity, data driven programming, and sustainability. Utilizing the evidence-based Teen Outreach Program (TOP) model from Wyman, Meeting Street will engage 800+ H/L females over the three-year project period through the formation of 15 TOP groups annually. Groups will be collaboratively formed and managed, with Meeting Street leveraging the physical and human resources of local Partner Organizations. Over a nine-month project period, teens will complete a 25-week, classroom-based youth empowerment and sexual / reproductive health curriculum, customized to reflect the voice of youth participants, followed by a 20-hour community-based service learning project. The TOP model will be replicated with fidelity and will utilize regular data-collection mechanisms to monitor and evaluate project progress. Enrolled teens will have access to 1:1 mentorship, social-emotional supports and access to trauma-informed direct care through a Meeting Street facilitator / case manager. Meeting Street is uniquely qualified to create and manage a collaborative, systems-based teen pregnancy/STI prevention and optimal health program based on its experience as a highly regarded provider of federally funded, family-centered programs – including Early Head Start (EHS), Early Intervention (EI), Healthy Families America (HFA) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) – as well the Massachusetts Pregnant and Parenting Teen Initiative (MPPTI), in partnership with the MA Department of Public Health.
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).
