Keeping it RealKeeping it Real“Do The Right “Do The Right

Thing”Thing”

Kimberly R. Alston MA, HSMKimberly R. Alston MA, HSMJay Whitmore MSWJay Whitmore MSWAngela Rhodes BSWAngela Rhodes BSW

Palmetto Healthy Start/Palmetto Palmetto Healthy Start/Palmetto HealthHealth

Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina

A Little about Palmetto Healthy A Little about Palmetto Healthy StartStart

• Palmetto Healthy Start (PHS) is a program funded by Health Resources and Services Administration since 1997

• The goal of PHS is to reduce infant mortality

• PHS provides services to low-income pregnant women, infants and their families in Richland and Fairfield counties in South Carolina

• Among PHS participants, approximately 95% are African American and Hispanic women

• Education is one of core services of PHS

Why have a Teen Pregnancy Why have a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program?Prevention Program?

Teen Pregnancy Rates in Teen Pregnancy Rates in South CarolinaSouth Carolina

• Every 55 minutes, a South Carolina teen gets pregnant.Every 55 minutes, a South Carolina teen gets pregnant.

• South Carolina has one of the highest teen birth rates in the South Carolina has one of the highest teen birth rates in the nation among 15-17 year old girls.nation among 15-17 year old girls.

• Approximately 1 of every 7 sexually active teen male age 15-Approximately 1 of every 7 sexually active teen male age 15-19 report they have gotten someone pregnant.19 report they have gotten someone pregnant.

• 56% of SC high school students report they have had sexual 56% of SC high school students report they have had sexual intercourse; 71% by senior year.intercourse; 71% by senior year.

Source: SC Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2005 Fact Sheet Source: SC Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2005 Fact Sheet

At-Risk Teens Are More Likely to:At-Risk Teens Are More Likely to:• Drop out of high schoolDrop out of high school• Have a difficult time securing well paying jobsHave a difficult time securing well paying jobs• Depend on the welfare systemDepend on the welfare system• Have children before they are ready, often with health Have children before they are ready, often with health

problems, and receive less health careproblems, and receive less health care• Have poor self-esteem and rely on others to affirm Have poor self-esteem and rely on others to affirm

themthem

((At-risk, in reference to youth, is a circumstance, influence, or At-risk, in reference to youth, is a circumstance, influence, or behavior that mitigates against a young person’s growing up behavior that mitigates against a young person’s growing up with the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical ability to be with the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical ability to be a well-adapted adult.)a well-adapted adult.)

PHS Health Education ProgramsPHS Health Education Programs

• Childbirth Education, Baby Childbirth Education, Baby Basics and CPR Basics and CPR

• Repeat Teen Pregnancy Repeat Teen Pregnancy Prevention Prevention (Real Talk)(Real Talk)

• Male Involvement Male Involvement (Boys to Men)(Boys to Men)

• Teen Outreach ProgramTeen Outreach Program

• Home VisitationHome Visitation

• MentoringMentoring

GoalsGoals

To enhance, motivate and To enhance, motivate and impact the lives of teens in impact the lives of teens in the target community by the target community by providing health education, providing health education, referrals and coordination of referrals and coordination of services in the church, services in the church, school and community.school and community.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Teen Pregnancy Prevention EducationEducation

• Education for girls and boysEducation for girls and boys– Real Talk: for girls age 10-19 Real Talk: for girls age 10-19 – Boys to Men: for boys age 10-19 Boys to Men: for boys age 10-19

• Conducted weekly and bi-weekly. Conducted weekly and bi-weekly.

• Topics: conflict resolution, goal setting, valuable life Topics: conflict resolution, goal setting, valuable life skills, positive self image skills, positive self image

• Format of education: role play, discussions, community Format of education: role play, discussions, community services, guest speakers, field trips and innovative services, guest speakers, field trips and innovative games/activitiesgames/activities

• Grounds rules are established on first day of sessions Grounds rules are established on first day of sessions

• Pre- and post-tests are implemented for each sessionPre- and post-tests are implemented for each session

Key Elements Key Elements

• Man Power Man Power • Comfortable FacilitiesComfortable Facilities• Time/FlexibilityTime/Flexibility• FundingFunding• Group AffirmationGroup Affirmation• Ground RulesGround Rules• Welcoming Welcoming

EnvironmentEnvironment

StrategiesStrategies

• Encourages participants to:Encourages participants to:

• Engage in dialogue with mentorsEngage in dialogue with mentors

• Demonstrate that there are caring adults who Demonstrate that there are caring adults who want to support their achievement and successwant to support their achievement and success

• Orientate themselves with various issues, Orientate themselves with various issues, vocations and professionalsvocations and professionals

• Receive a degree of motivation toward Receive a degree of motivation toward excellence in school and their communityexcellence in school and their community

• Help foster good health Help foster good health

• Increase self-esteem Increase self-esteem

• Deter teen pregnancyDeter teen pregnancy

RecruitmentRecruitment

• Participants recruited from: Participants recruited from: – SchoolsSchools– Teen CentersTeen Centers– Parks and RecreationParks and Recreation– ChurchesChurches– Word of mouth referralsWord of mouth referrals– ParentsParents– Hearing OfficersHearing Officers

Utilize Curriculum-based Utilize Curriculum-based ProgramsPrograms

• Healthy Start Male Involvement Healthy Start Male Involvement • Partners for Fragile FamiliesPartners for Fragile Families• Teen Outreach Program (TOP) curriculumTeen Outreach Program (TOP) curriculum• Making a Difference curriculumMaking a Difference curriculum

(abstinence based)(abstinence based)• Making Proud Choices curriculumMaking Proud Choices curriculum

(STI and Pregnancy Prevention)(STI and Pregnancy Prevention)

FacilitatorsFacilitators

• A Community Advocate:A Community Advocate:

– Facilitates the groupsFacilitates the groups– Coordinates and establishes meeting sitesCoordinates and establishes meeting sites– Assesses group needsAssesses group needs– Conducts sessions/coordinates presentersConducts sessions/coordinates presenters– Coordinates community activitiesCoordinates community activities– Coordinates refreshmentsCoordinates refreshments– Recruits participantsRecruits participants– Mentors participantsMentors participants– Coordinates meetings with providersCoordinates meetings with providers

Use What You Have!Use What You Have!

PartnersPartners

• Palmetto Health Teen CenterPalmetto Health Teen Center

• The S.C. Sisters of Charity Initiative The S.C. Sisters of Charity Initiative

• The S.C. Fatherhood Practitioners NetworkThe S.C. Fatherhood Practitioners Network

• Local Schools and UniversitiesLocal Schools and Universities

• Parks and RecreationParks and Recreation

• Community Groups and OrganizationsCommunity Groups and Organizations

• Teen Health CenterTeen Health Center

Additional TopicsAdditional Topics

Topics were chosen based on survey results during Topics were chosen based on survey results during initial development:initial development:

• Relationship Building:Relationship Building:– with friends, family, teachers, children, significant other, with friends, family, teachers, children, significant other,

etc.etc.• Stress ManagementStress Management• Goal Setting/Planning - CareersGoal Setting/Planning - Careers• Building Self-Esteem and Life SkillsBuilding Self-Esteem and Life Skills• Conflict ResolutionConflict Resolution• Self ImagingSelf Imaging

BarriersBarriers

• Continuous participation in the program for the entire Continuous participation in the program for the entire seriesseries

• School administrative staff buy-inSchool administrative staff buy-in

• Establishing hours for sessions during school Establishing hours for sessions during school curriculumcurriculum

• Recruitment and lack of comfortable environment for Recruitment and lack of comfortable environment for sessions held in the community groupssessions held in the community groups

THE END RESULT!THE END RESULT!

Outcomes:Outcomes: Real TalkReal Talk

• Pregnancy prevention Pregnancy prevention – 624 participants age 17 and under 624 participants age 17 and under

– 32 sessions32 sessions

• Repeat pregnancy preventionRepeat pregnancy prevention– 517 participants 517 participants

– 53 sessions 53 sessions

• Pre- and post-tests showed that Pre- and post-tests showed that participants' knowledge participants' knowledge increased through the education.increased through the education.

Outcomes: Boys to Men Outcomes: Boys to Men

• 65 sessions65 sessions

• On average, 10 participants per On average, 10 participants per session session

• Over 150 participants have Over 150 participants have graduated from high schoolgraduated from high school

• Only one became a father before Only one became a father before completing high schoolcompleting high school

• Students have entered military, Students have entered military, college, trade schools or found college, trade schools or found employmentemployment

CollaborationCollaboration

Developing Relationships is the key!Developing Relationships is the key!

HOW TO CONTACT USHOW TO CONTACT US

Kimberly R. AlstonKimberly R. AlstonDirectorDirector

Angela Rhodes and Jay WhitmoreAngela Rhodes and Jay Whitmore Community AdvocatesCommunity Advocates

Palmetto Health - Palmetto Healthy StartPalmetto Health - Palmetto Healthy Start223 Stoneridge Drive, Suite B223 Stoneridge Drive, Suite B

Columbia, South Carolina 29210Columbia, South Carolina 29210(803) 296-3780(803) 296-3780

QUESTIONS/COMMENTSQUESTIONS/COMMENTS

Thank You!Thank You!