Teen Parent Connection’s Prevention Program promotes optimal reproductive health for adolescents in DuPage County by fostering responsible decision-making skills, encouraging healthy sexual attitudes and behaviors, and providing reproductive health education that is comprehensive, medically accurate, and evidence-based.
Peer Prevention education is delivered to thousands of middle and high school students throughout the DuPage County area as a component of their Health Education classes. Our Peer Prevention program curriculum complies with the State of Illinois Reproductive Health Education Standards, which requires schools that teach sex education in grades 6 through 12 to include instruction in both abstinence and contraception using materials that are evidence-based and medically accurate. Health Educators engage students in activities that educate in a nonjudgmental manner while focusing on prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV/AIDS. Health Educators partner with Peer Educators, who share their personal experiences of being a young parent.
Last year, nearly 14,000 students participated in Teen Parent Connection’s Prevention Program.
Evaluations from our FY17 program year reflect the following results:
- 100% of teachers would recommend the Peer Prevention Program to other teachers.
- 98% of students would recommend the Peer Prevention Program for other students.
- 98% of students reported having the knowledge, information, and communication skills necessary to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
- 100% of young parents receiving Family Planning Education reported increased understanding of consistent and correct use of their preferred contraceptive methods and providers.
- 98% of young parents enrolled in Teen Parent Connection’s direct services delayed subsequent births.
AWARE (Adolescents With Awareness, Resources, and Education) is a collaborative partnership between the Robert Crown Center, YWCA West Suburban Center, and Teen Parent Connection and is presented as a week-long sexuality health education program for eighth grade students. AWARE begins with a Parent Night Workshop, followed by four days of classroom-based student workshops. Student workshop topics include teen pregnancy prevention and healthy decision-making (Teen Parent Connection), sexually transmitted infection prevention (Robert Crown Center), and dating violence/sexual assault prevention (YWCA). Parent Workshops are designed to increase awareness of STIs, teen pregnancy, and sexual violence and help parents learn how to open a dialogue with their children so they can serve as an ongoing resource of information and support.
HIP (Health Impact Project) is a comprehensive prevention program designed to meet the needs of adolescents considered to be at particularly high risk for STIs/teen pregnancy. The program is offered at a higher level of intensity through multiple sessions using research-based curricula proven to delay initiation of sexual intercourse and increase contraceptive use among program participants.
Family Planning Education is delivered as a comprehensive program for young parents enrolled in Teen Parent Connection’s direct service programs with the goal of delaying subsequent pregnancies. Family Planning Education is delivered by Health Educators and consists of two prevention units targeting issues surrounding reproductive health promotion. Topics include STI/HIV Prevention, Subsequent Pregnancy Prevention/Contraceptive Education, and Risk Reduction/STI testing.
For information on teen pregnancy prevention or to schedule Teen Parent Connection’s Prevention Program, please email Elizabeth Witman (Certified Health Education Specialist) or call (630) 790-8433 Ext. 226.