Wednesday, May 1, 2024
5/1/2024
During the past three years, Utah State University (USU) has successfully replicated evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programming (EBPs) in behavioral, alternative educational, and state-involved settings. Our current performance measures and community assessment data show USU’s ability to systemically deliver EBPs to youth and the adults who support them. This proposal – Adolescent and Community Empowerment (ACE) – likewise replicates to scale evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programming (EBPs). Our target population includes youth with inordinately high health disparities in teen birth and STIs, and parent/caregivers and youth-serving professionals who live in Utah’s urban corridor - the geographical area known as Utah’s Wasatch Front. We will replicate EBPs in the following three settings: (1) Behavioral health agencies, (2) Alternative high schools/alternative educational settings, and (3) State-involved youth settings (i.e., juvenile justice and foster-care facilities). This project leverages our experience as a prior OPA grantee, and our team’s experience and expertise in managing large grants to deliver rigorous research-based curricula to teens in Utah, the state with the nation’s youngest population. We will replicate EBPs to scale in equitable, safe, supportive, and inclusive environments, using trauma-informed and positive youth development approaches. Guided by sensitivity to youth in their unique communities, we will involve our community partners and parents/caregivers in EBP replication, and help connect them to other community services. Social media and state-wide USU relationship education will further boost this project’s reach. We will reach 4,500 participants total (500 in Y1 and 1,000/year thereafter). This includes 3,825 youth (Y1: 425; Y2-Y5: 850 annually), and 675 adults (Y1: 75; Y2-Y5: 150 annually). Our established network of diverse behavioral, educational, and state settings is strong and engaged, and multiplies our reach. Compared to their peers, youth in these settings have documented higher rates of teen births, sexual activity, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). As many as 80% are estimated to have had sexual intercourse, and 50-66% are likely to be currently sexually active. Compared to their peers nationally, our population of focus also has health disparities such as significantly higher rates of risky sexual behavior, mental health distress, and poverty. Behavioral health problems and sexual activity among teens are reciprocal: Teens with externalizing behaviors are more sexually active, younger at first intercourse, have relatively more sexual partners, and higher risk of STIs and unplanned pregnancies. We currently replicate the Love Notes curriculum, but during the planning period we will work our partners and OPA to ensure an approved, appropriate EBP is selected for implementation. In addition, community professionals and parents will receive resources to strengthen their parenting knowledge and skills. USU has actively collaborated with and maintained a strong network of diverse, multi-sector partners through whom EBPs have been successfully replicated. The current project will continue to increase awareness of, access to, and utilization of EBPs and adolescent-friendly services that are equitable, accessible, acceptable, appropriate, and effective.
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).
