Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
IMPACT-PR: Improving Adolescent Sexual Health Equity and Preventing Teenage Pregnancy in Puerto Rico. - The Institute of Research, Education, and Services in Addiction (IRESA) is requesting funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes, promote positive youth development, and advance health equity for Puerto Rican youth, their families, and communities through the replication of medically accurate and age-appropriate evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program (EBPs), Positive Prevention Plus. The Project IMPACT-PR: Improving Adolescent Sexual Health Equity and Preventing Teenage Pregnancy in Puerto Rico, through community education and training will be implemented to reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV in the northern coastline area of the Island. Over 31 municipalities in Puerto Rico surpass the 15-19-year U.S. pregnancy rate of 15.4 x 1,000. The northern coastline area shows significantly higher teen pregnancy rates, suggesting that interventions underscoring abstinence, sexual risk cessation, communication with trusted adults, and other adult preparation subjects are critically needed to support youth thriving and focusing on their future. IMPACT-PR will use Positive Prevention PLUS (PP+) curriculum already translated and culturally adapted by our team for Puerto Rican students with the novelty of integrating adulthood preparation subjects and using direct instruction. The Project will recruit up to 3,000 youth per year from four different settings, including public middle and high schools, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) clinics, Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration (MHAASA, or “ASSMCA’, Spanish acronym) regional clinics, and the Administration of Children and Families (ADFAN) regional facilities. This proposal aims to: •Foster the adoption of IMPACT-PR to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes, promote positive youth development, and advance health equity for Puerto Rican youth, their families, and communities by replicating Positive Prevention Plus (PP+) at the systems level. •Implement IMPACT-PR to increase capacity on the benefits of forming healthy relationships, strengthening parent-child communication, and practicing healthy life skills among Puerto Rican youths. •Link youth to services with local community partners and other agencies to bolster adolescent health outcomes equitably and mitigate disparities.
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).