Teen Parents
The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, encouraged states to focus on creating and implementing programs and services for teens. Much of this effort has centered on reducing teen pregnancy and out-of-wedlock births, with the creation and promotion of abstinence education and pregnancy prevention programs. However, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program has enabled states to create a variety of programs to assist teenage parents. One of which, alternative living arrangements for pregnant and parenting teens, has been implemented in many states.
According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ annual report to Congress, 7 percent (or 112,080 out of 1, 579, 000) of adult TANF recipients are teenagers.
(http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/opre/ar2001/indexar.htm) Research suggests teen parents may benefit greatly from education/training, childcare, health care and other family support programs and that a combination of systems may enhance their ability to provide for their children and become more self-sufficient. This Resources for Welfare Decisions provides an overview of programs and support services for teenage parents. For general information about teen parents, visit
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/win/teen.asp.
Publications and Electronic Resources
Acs, Gregory and Heather Koball. TANF and the Status of Teen Mothers Under Age 18. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute, 2003. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/310796_A-62.pdf.
Center for Schools and Communities. A Resources Guide of Best Practices for Pregnant and Parenting Teen Programs. Lemoyne, PA: Center for Schools and Communities, 1999. http://www.center-school.org/education/ppt/pptchild.htm.
Cohen, Marie. How States Can Use Welfare Funds to Support Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Teen Parent Initiatives. Tampa, FL: The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, 1999.
http://www.ounce.org/NewResources.html.
Community Legal Services. Teen Parents: Planning for Five-Year Strategies for Protecting Vulnerable Families and Individuals. Community Legal Services: Philadelphia, PA: Community Legal Services, 2001. http://www.clsphila.org/../Teen%20Parents.htm.
Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting. Teen Parenting Resource List. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting, 2000. http://www.moappp.org/downloads/list.pdf.
National Parent Information Network. Family Support Programs and Teen Parents. Chicago, IL: National Parent Information Network, 1998. http://npin.org/library/pre1998/n00346/n00346.html.
Northwest Justice Project. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Teen Parents. Seattle, WA. Northwest Justice Project, 2003. http://www.nwjustice.org/docs/7122.html.
Reichman, Nancy E. and Sara S. MacLanahan. Self-Sufficiency Programs and Parenting Interventions: Lessons from New Chance and the Teenage Parent Demonstration. Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University, 2001. http://www.srcd.org/sprv15n2.pdf.
Seiler, Naomi. TANF and Teen Parents with Disabilities. Washington, D.C.: Center on Law and Social Policy, 2001.
http://www.clasp.org/LegalDev/CLASP/DMS/Documents/1011379052.14/TANF%20%...
Shapiro, Deborah and Helene Marcy. Knocking On the Door: Barriers to Welfare and Other Assistance for Teen Parents. Chicago, IL: Center for Impact Research, 2002.
http://www.impactresearch.org/documents/cirknockdoor.pdf
U.S. Department of Education. School-Based and School-Linked Programs for Pregnant and Parenting Teens and Their Children. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Department of Education, 1999. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/ParentingTeens/recomm.html
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Second Chance Homes: Providing Services for Teenage Parents and Their Children. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, 2000.
http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/hsp/2ndchancehomes00/
Available from The Finance Project
Cohen, Marie. Promoting Education Among TANF Teens, 1998.
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/teensinschool.htm
Jones, Michelle. Abstinence Education Programs, 2003.
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/abstinenceeducationRN.htm
Jones, Michelle. Programs and Services for Out-of-School Youth, 2003.
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/programsandservicesRN.htm
O’Dell, Kelley. Teen Parents and the Reauthorization of Welfare Reform, 2003.
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/teenparents_trn03.htm
Resource Contacts
· Alliance for Young Families, Jamie Strausz, 617-482-9122; http://www.youngfamilies.org
· Allan Guttmacher Institute, 212-248-1111 or 202/296-4012; http://www.agi-usa.org
· Campaign For Our Children, 410-576-9015; http://www.cfoc.org
· Center for Law and Social Policy, 202-906-8000; http://www.clasp.org
· Center for Assessment and Policy Development, 610-664-4540; http://www.capd.org
· Child Trends, 202/362-5580; http://www.childtrends.org
· Child Welfare League of America, John Sciamanna, 202-638-2952; http://www.cwla.org
· Joint Center for Poverty Research, 847-491-4145 or 773-702-0926; http://www.jcpr.org
· Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, 212-532-3200; http://www.mdrc.org
· National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 202-478-8500; http://www.teenpregnancy.org
· National Network for Youth, Bob Reeg, 202-783-7949, http://www.nn4youth.org
· National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention, Inc., Karen Canova, 202-293-8370; http://www.noappp.org
· National Parent Information Network, 312-341-0900; http://www.npin.org
· Robin Hood Foundation, 212-227-6601; http://www.robinhood.org
· Social Policy Action Network, 202-293-8370; http://www.span-online.org
What States and Localities Are Doing
Colorado New Beginnings, A Home for Mothers is a faith-based community organization that serves teen mothers with young babies. It provide women with spiritual guidance, academic improvement opportunities, parenting skills, family relation skills, housing for 12 months and money management workshops. It also runs a thrift shop for teen parents to purchase low cost clothing and personal items. For more information, contact Lisa Hecht at 303-355-9434 or Newbegin@ecentral.com; or visit http://www.wels.net/wlfl/aboutus.htm.
Illinois Department of Human Services runs the Teen Parent Services Program (TPS) to assist teen parents receive education and training. TPS provides transportation assistance to attend school and aid in locating and sustaining childcare services. TPS also provides assistance to teen parents who are in need of locating absent parents and expediting the child support process. TPS helps teen parents locate free or low-cost health care, explore future pregnancy prevention options and participate in parenting classes. TPS also provides financial support for work expenses, books/school supplies, GED testing fees and work clothes. For more information, contact 800-323-4769; or visit http://www.state.il.us/agency/dhs or http://www.dhs.state.il.us/chp/brochures/dhs2942.asp.
Massachusetts Department of Social Services runs a series of housing facilities that offer teenage parents a safe, responsible and supportive environment. Teen Living Program offers support and guidance to young women age 13-19 who are dealing with pregnancy and parenting issues, while allowing the teen families to remain intact. A collaboration between the Department of Social Services and the Department of Transitional Assistance, this initiative provides pregnant and parenting teens a safe and caring environment in which to develop the skills necessary to make healthy choices for themselves and their children. For more information on the Teen Living Program, contact 617-748-2400 or visit http://www.state.ma.us/dss/Teens/AS_Assited_Living.htm. The Wayside Youth and Family Support Network provides community-based services that promote the personal health, well-being, and independent functioning of children, youth and families in the Boston area. Wayside provides residential programs as well individual, group and family counseling, home-based outreach services, substance abuse treatment, prevention programs, and teen parent programs. For more information on teen parent programs, contact Waltham at 781-891-0555 or Arlington at 781-643-2580; or visit http://www.waysideyouth.org/whoweare.htm
Michigan Father Patrick Jackson House Program is a non-denominational, non-profit organization that serves homeless, pregnant and parenting adolescents and their children. The Program provides information and referrals and residential and community-based supportive services. Such as shelter, educational assistance, independent living skills training, parenting support and case management. Father Patrick Jackson House Program runs a Teen Link Outreach Program (Teens Living that Helps Independently with Kids) connecting teens to needed services, and providing basic baby items and supplies to young families in the community. The program serves pregnant and parenting youth (both mothers and fathers) ages 14-21 and their children. For more information, contact Christina Meagher at 734-761-1440;or visit http://comnet.org/fpj/index.html.
Missouri Mother’s Refuge, a program for homeless pregnant teens and new mothers and their infants, includes residential care, an aftercare program and peer education program. Support services include access to medical, individual and group counseling, food, clothing, mandatory participation in education and/or job training, childbirth/parenting classes, life skills classes and independent living skills training. After delivery, residents and their babies may remain for up to eight weeks, or if the mother is under 18, until the mother turns 19, or the infant turns 3, whichever comes first. At the end of their residency, they return to their families, live independently, are placed in other residential facilities or enter the homeless shelter system. For more information on residential services, contact Ruby Martin at 816-353-8070; or visit http://www.mothersrefuge.org/index.htm.
Nebraska provides teen parents with specialized case managers and the state purchases slots for teen parents in other programs. The state runs a TANF-funded program with a local YWCA that provides transportation, onsite childcare, soft skills training, nutrition classes, career assessment and consulting on educational activities. For more information, contact Dennis Ellis at dennis.ellis@hhss.state.ne.us.
