A  Plain Talk’s Second Generation:  Successful Program Replication

Despite the declining teen birth rate in the U.S., the rate is still unacceptably high, while the rate of STIs including HIV/AIDS among teens is disturbing, particularly for Latino and African American youth.  Plain Talk/Hablando Claro was developed to address these challenges by working directly with parents and other supportive adults to improve adult communication with teens, as well as increase sexually active teens’ access to contraceptive services.  Launched in 1993, Plain Talk now has more than ten years of experience, evaluation data, and a structured replication process including training, technical assistance and data collection, to help new communities successfully replicate it. The Plain Talk/Hablando Claro programs in St. Paul, Minnesota and in New Orleans, Louisiana represent successful replication of the program model.

The Institute will focus on providing an overview of Plain Talk/Hablando Claro and examining case studies in St. Paul and New Orleans to help program planners, managers, and service providers develop skills to:

 1)      Plan and implement Plain Talk/Hablando Claro’s core strategies

2)      Understand the basics of program replication; and

3)      Craft core messages to recruit community stakeholders, including residents, funders, and advocates.

B   Training Practitioners in New Interventions Designed to Strengthen Parent-Child Connectedness

This training will enhance the capacity of program developers and front line educators to incorporate PCC in their adolescent reproductive health programming.  A pre-post test will be administered to training participants.

At the completion of ETRs' training on PCC, participants will be able to:

1)  Explain how PCC serves as an important protective factor against adolescent pregnancy and other negative adolescent health outcomes;

2)  Identify the key community and familial determinants of parent-child connectedness;

3)  Explain how culture and class can affect influence risk and protective factors for parent-child connectedness;

4)  Identify at least three ways to incorporate PCC into adolescent reproductive health programming;

5)  Review three types of PCC interventions and evaluate them for use by participants' organizations; and

6)  Practice facilitating at least one PCC intervention activity developed by ETR Associates.

Lead Presenters: Lori Rolleri & Steve Bean, ETR Associates

C   Enabling Successful Transition to Independent Living Among Pregnant and Parenting Teens

This institute focuses on promoting successful transition to independent living among pregnant and parenting teens leaving foster care or group home settings. Spend the day learning and sharing among other practitioners either working with, or wanting to work with, this population.  Barriers to transition, particularly among the 18-24 year olds, will be identified and discussed, along with effective means of addressing some of these barriers–such as housing, education, and child care. 

At the completion of this session participants will: 

1) Understand issues affecting successful transition to independent living among pregnant and parenting teens.

2) Gain increased knowledge in strategies used to address barriers facing pregnant and parenting teens.

3) Make connections with other practitioners working with this population as beginning of a network hosted by Healthy Teen Network.

Lead Presenters: Janet Max, Healthy Teen Network; Ruth White, Child Welfare League of America; Mark Kroner, Lighthouse Youth Services, Inc; Vincent Smith, Georgia Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

D   Youth Taking Action! Organizing to Improve Sex Ed in Your Community

Open nationally to youth under 25 years old only

This pre-conference institute will focus on the impact youth can have in the current debate and mobilization around sex education in this country. Through interactive exercises and helpful resources, participants will gain knowledge and skills necessary to effect change in their local communities. Participants will leave with concrete steps to bring the learning home.

Through the institute, participants will:

1) Understand the current state of sex education in the U.S.

2) Learn about tested and innovative approaches youth can use to improve sex education in their community.

3) Develop an action plan to apply institute learning in their community.

Presenters: Jonathan Stacks, Adaku Utah & Susannah Faxon-Mills, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health

Registration