Thursday, April 18, 2024
4/18/2024
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is applying for funding to have a significant impact on improving the optimal health of adolescents and reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through saturation of communities in Illinois with the greatest needs and disparities using a systems thinking approach to replicate effective programs with fidelity. The Department envisions a future of healthy youth making informed decision in which unplanned teen pregnancies do not occur. To execute this vision and achieve goals of this project, an effective strategy based on data-driven decision-making, a structured planning process, and implementation of TPP programs are needed. IDHS is seeking funding of $1,174,500 per year to serve multiple communities spread across the State of Illinois. IDHS will use a system thinking approach to effectively deliver solutions that eliminate health disparities and achieve optimal health for adolescents and prevent teen pregnancy, STIs and associated risk behaviors, while also increasing protective factors. Progress towards reaching this vision and goal will be demonstrated through changing rates in eleven targeted communities. To operationalize the project goals, IDHS selected and established partnerships with four (4) well-established, community-based organizations who have experience in Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programming. The TPP program is built on six expectations, all of which are aimed at reaching youth to achieve the goal of decreasing teen birth rates and increasing positive behavior factors: • Ensuring areas of greatest need are targeted in an effort to promote equity in reaching optimal health and preventing teen pregnancy and STIs, including areas of Illinois that have teen birth rates and STI rates higher than the state and national averages, and include urban areas with greatly under served populations and extremely rural areas with low-income and lack of resources. • Utilizing a systems thinking approach to identify multiple leverage points to maximize impact on promoting optimal health and preventing teen pregnancy and STIs. Leverage points include organizational policies and procedures; community collaboration, programming for youth, and training for youth serving professionals. • Replicating with fidelity effective programs and supportive services that are culturally appropriate, age appropriate, medically accurate, and trauma informed. Effective programs to be implemented include: Love Notes, Positive Prevention Plus, REAL Essentials Advantage, and Promoting Health Among Teens (PHAT-C). • Applying the power of youth and community voice to ensure the project is of the highest quality and best fit for the communities and populations to be served. The power of the youth and parent voice will be showcased in the IDHS Youth Champion and Parent Champion programs implemented at each site. • Monitoring, evaluating, and improving the project; and using key performance measures to document the project. The evaluation of this project is in the very capable hands of the Center for Prevention and Research Development, housed at the University of Illinois. • Communicating and disseminating information, successes, lessons learned, and knowledge. IDHS will work with each of the four direct service agencies and Prevention First, a nationally recognized training contractor, to develop work plans that detail communication and dissemination activities and include robust social media campaigns.
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).
