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In 1984, Dr. Carrera and The Children's Aid
Society developed a model that is holistic
and long-term, focusing on an "above the waist approach
to pregnancy prevention." This approach centers on the
belief that success in school, meaningful
employment, access to quality
medical and health services,
and interactions with high caliber, role
model adults, have a potent contraceptive
effect on teens. The program centers on
all the forces and factors affecting the
life of a teen at that time in their development,
and discusses sexual issues within
the context of an adolescent's whole
life.
The program incorporates a separate parent participation and includes
seven program components: educational support,
career awareness and job club, lifetime sports,
creative expression, comprehensive medical
and dental services, mental health services and
family life and sex education. The overall philosophy
of this approach is based on the belief that
young people with whom we work are not "at risk" but rather "at
promise." Their goodness, gifts and possibilities constitute the
context of our work with them.
Our mission is to provide support to local and national agencies and institutions
implementing programs to reduce teen pregnancy in their communities. Programs
to reduce adolescent pregnancy are typically requested by communities where poverty
is a central issue. Our services are available to all individuals, regardless
of language, physical ability, sexual orientation or gender, with an average participant
age between 12 and 18 years of age. Programs are designed to offer teens a supportive
and nurturing environment, where they can learn about sexual responsibility while
developing goals and aspirations for life. Simultaneously, parents are involved
in the program to learn how they can assist in their child's development.
Substandard housing, poor health care and insufficient education are typical
characteristics of neighborhoods in need of these programs. Single parent homes,
Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicare and food stamps are common facts
of life for the families who participate. Most of our work is with individuals
of African American and Latino backgrounds, with the exception of our national
programs which sometimes serve individuals of Southeast Asian and Appalachian
Caucasian descent. Currently, we have 21 replications and 30 other programs in
20 states throughout the country.
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