I. Teen Pregnancy Prevention Strategies and Programs

The most important factors in preventing teen pregnancies are academic success, involvement with a caring adult and the development of expectations for future success after completing school. During 2017-2018 the teen pregnancy rate continued at 9.6%. From 2010 to 2018 the average out-of-wedlock birth percentage remained at 40%. To maintain the out-of- wedlock pregnancy rate as well as the reduced teenage pregnancy rate, Illinois continues to focus on teen pregnancy prevention strategies. Consequently, the services provided feature parental involvement and work with adult mentors; school completion; health education and access to health care; and development of decision-making skills. The specific programs that use these strategies include: Teen REACH (Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring and Hope) is an initiative to provide out-of-school time programming for children between 10 and 17 years of age who live in high-risk communities. The programs emphasize enrichment, recreation, life skills education and mentoring, with active parental involvement. The Abstinence Education Project is designed to promote abstinence from sexual activity outside of the context of marriage. Intervention strategies include classroom instruction, supervision and mentoring. Parents Too Soon Primary Prevention programs offer peer support groups which include mentoring, tutoring, opportunities for community service, cultural education, field trips, promotion of school completion, improved academic achievement, recreation activities and skill building in areas such as effective communication, responsible decision making and goal setting. Adolescent Health Promotion projects provide health promotion, prevention activities and education services. Projects may be focused toward junior and senior high school students in the areas of self-concept, nutrition, health education and sexuality education (including abstinence), alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse, developmental crisis, peer relationships, violence prevention and improved communication between teens and adults, particularly parents. Male Responsibility projects provide health and sexuality education (including social development and abstinence) and decision-making skills; tutoring; mentoring; and structured activities. Services target 10- to 14-year-old males at risk of school drop-out behavior problems. Th e Subsequent Pregnancy Prevention program is designed to help adolescent mothers delay subsequent pregnancies, consistently and effectively practice birth control and continue their schooling to high school graduation. School-Based or School-Linked Health Centers have established linkages to local health departments, community health care agencies, not-for-profit agencies, parent organizations, schools and the community-at-large. Services include Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT), screening, immunizations, family planning services (on-site or by referral), counseling, health education, acute treatment, sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and treatment and school or sports physicals. The Family Planning program provides comprehensive reproductive health services to help men and women control the number and spacing of their children. Program services include health education, contraceptive services, pregnancy testing and counseling and sexually transmitted disease services. Use of Family Planning Services by TANF Recipients. The ability to avoid unplanned pregnancy is essential for women striving to leave welfare and become economically self- sufficient. Special training is being provided to local office staff by the Family Planning program to improve staff's knowledge of the Family Planning program and to help them encourage women to use family planning services. The Teen Parent Services (TPS) program helps young, TANF-eligible parents to stay in school and obtain a high school diploma (or its equivalent) so that they may become self- sufficient and economically independent. TPS is a part of the TANF Employment and Training program. Participation is mandatory. TPS services include: intensive case management, comprehensive family assessment, individualized counseling, referral to social service agencies, and reimbursement for child care and transportation to attend school or TPS activities. Since the younger siblings of a teen parent are at increased risk of becoming teen parents themselves, special prevention programs are being developed to serve this population. Substance Abuse Prevention - Teen pregnancy, delinquency, school drop-out and substance abuse share common risk factors. Therefore, substance abuse prevention efforts also help reduce teen pregnancy and illegitimacy. Illinois' substance abuse prevention program is one of the most comprehensive in the nation. It includes a mix of local, regional and Statewide programs provided by 100 agencies. Substance abuse prevention programs include comprehensive projects, gang and violence prevention, maternal and child health projects, services in public housing, and the Illinois Network to Organize the Understanding of Community Health (In Touch), which organizes and coordinates local prevention efforts.

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