DOCUMENT RESUME CG 028 466 ED 419 206 Brighter Futures: The Wisconsin Plan To Prevent Adolescent TITLE Pregnancy. Wisconsin. Executive Committee on Adolescent Pregnancy INSTITUTION Prevention, Madison. Wisconsin State Dept. of Health and Social Services, SPONS AGENCY Madison.; Wisconsin State Dept. of Workforce Development, Madison. 1998-01-00 PUB DATE NOTE 54p. Opinion Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090) PUB TYPE Papers (120) MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Adolescents; *Early Parenthood; *Pregnancy; *Prevention; DESCRIPTORS *State Programs; Statewide Planning; Unwed Mothers Personal Responsibility and Work Opp Recon Act; Temporary IDENTIFIERS Assistance for Needy Families; Wisconsin ABSTRACT The Executive Committee and Lile Pregnancy Prevention were charged to develop and provide leadership to implement a state plan to reduce adolescent pregnancy in Wisconsin. Both the negative outcomes for adolescent parents and their children and the cost to society are at issue. This document serves as a first step to identify what works, what needs to be done, and who needs to be involved. Included in section 1 are the introduction, vision and mission statements, guiding principles, goal, considerations and "asset building." Section 2, "Defining the Issues," deals with the consequences and costs of adolescent childbearing, and factors linked to adolescent pregnancy. Section 3, "Toward a Shared Responsibility," includes recommendations for parents and family, youth, schools and education, community organizations, faith-based organizations, business and employers, health care community, media and public information, and government. Areas of special concern (subsequent pregnancies, child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse and statutory rape) are highlighted. The plan concludes with a position statement. The appendices include results of the town hall listening sessions, a framework of 40 developmental assets for youth, pregnancy and birth statistics, and a statement on human growth and development. (EMK) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 09Pc TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement CO EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this docu- ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BRIGHTER FUTURES THE WISCONSIN PLAN TO PREVENT ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY Developed By The Executive Committee on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and The Subcommittee on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Prepared By The Department of Health and Family Services In Partnership With The Department of Workforce Development January, 1998 Copies of the complete plan are available on the Internet at: www.dhfs.state.wi,us/newsinitiatives/index.htm 3 THE WISCONSIN PLAN TO PREVENT ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter of Transmittal 1 2 Executive Committee 3 Subcommittee Section I: Introduction 5 6 Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles 7 Goal 7 Considerations 9 Guiding Principles 10 Asset Building Defining the Issues Section II 11 12 Consequences and Costs of Adolescent Childbearing 15 Factors Linked to Adolescent Pregnancy 19 Section III - Toward a Shared Responsibility Recommendations: 20 Parents and Family 22 Youth 23 Schools and Education 26 Community Organizations 28 Faith Based Organizations 29 Business and Employers 30 Health Care Community 32 Media and Public Information 33 Government Areas of Special Concern 35 Subsequent Pregnancies 36 Child Abuse and Neglect 37 Sexual Abuse/Statutory Rape 39 Conclusion 40 Appendices A. Town Hall Listening Sessions B. Search Institute 40 Developmental Assets C. Pregnancy and Birth Statistics, listed by age and county D. Statement on Human Growth and Development 49 References State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services Tommy G. Thompson, Governor Joe Leean, Secretary January 30, 1998 The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson Governor of Wisconsin East State Capitol 115 Madison, WI 53702 Dear Governor Thompson: It is with pleasure that we submit to you The Wisconsin Plan to Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy, Brighter Futures. We would like to thank you for the opportunity to work on this very important plan for Wisconsin. The complex nature of adolescent pregnancy touches all Wisconsin populations and communities. It is both our responsibility and in our best interest to provide the opportunity for all Wisconsin's children to succeed and achieve maximum self-sufficiency. While most of Wisconsin's children succeed, many teen parents do not fare so well. Some of them drop out of school, live a life of poverty, go on welfare, and have dim futures. Their children are at greater risk for health problems, school failure, to be abused or neglected, to grow up in poverty, to become adolescent parents themselves, or to be incarcerated. rates by the percent from This plan has a goal of reducing adolescent pregnancy rates by 1995 15 While parents bear the primary responsibility for their children, solutions will depend year 2001. on the concerted effort of all affected parties, and on creative public policies and community level practices that support children and families. It will require the wise investment of public and private resources and the commitment of time and attention from all of us. We believe that when this plan is implemented, we will significantly reduce adolescent pregnancy in Wisconsin. We are committed to this plan because we believe in Wisconsin's youth and we know you do as well. / / P/ip a Stewart, Co -Chair oe Leean, Co-Chair Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Executive Committee 5 Telephone (608) 266-9622 Post Office Box 7850 Madison, WI 53707-7850 1 West Wilson Street EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION Joe Leean, Secretary Wisconsin Department of Co-Chair Health and Family Services Linda Stewart, Secretary Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Co-Chair John Laabs, President Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Jon Metcalf, Director of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Human Resource Policy Commerce Association Herbert Grover Center for Education and Consultant Workforce Competitiveness UW - Green Bay Dan Finley, County Executive Waukesha County Leslie Howard, President United Way of Wisconsin Board of Directors Dr. Sandra L. Osborn, President State Medical Society Kenneth F. Little, CEO Urban League of Milwaukee William F. Lock Community Enterprises of Executive Director Greater Milwaukee 26 SUBCOMMITTEE ON ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION Department of Health and Family Services Susan N. Dreyfus Division of Children and Family Services Co-Chair Department of Economic Support, Donna Cochems Bureau of Welfare Initiatives Co-Chair Department of Health and Ken Baldwin Family Services, Bureau of Public Health Marsha Lukasek Gundersen Lutheran Teen Health Services Christina Flood Lady Pitts High School Holy Cathedral Church of God in Christ Rev. Charles McClelland Barbara Wehman CESA 11 Pat McManus Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin Annette Cruz Governor's Office Dana Alder Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Administrator and Services Board Jenny Hungerford High School Student Paula Van Straten St. Vincent Hospital Carmel la Glover Group Health Cooperative Lorri Hungerford Wisconsin Association for Runaway Services 3 SUBCOMMITTEE ON ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION (cont'd) School District of Beloit Terri Anderson Latino Health Organization Maria Gamez March of Dimes Birth Defects Raejean M. Kanter Foundation Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin Chris Korsmo Wisconsin Abstinence Coalition Cleo Phippen Department of Health and Family Linda Hisgen Services, Bureau Programs and Policies New Concept Self-Development Center June Perry Department of Public Instruction Nic Dibble Milwaukee Health Department Carla Washington 48 THE WISCONSIN PLAN TO PREVENT ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY SECTION I: INTRODUCTION The Executive Committee and the Subcommittee on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention were established in April of 1997. Their charge was to develop and provide the leadership to implement a plan to reduce adolescent pregnancy in Wisconsin that would assist Wisconsin in meeting the federal requirement under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).1 The committees were also charged with overseeing the development of the Wisconsin plan and application for the Federal Abstinence Education Grant, which promotes abstinence before marriage, with a focus on those groups which are most likely to bear children out-of-wedlock. The Governor and Co-chairs are greatly concerned about the consequences of adolescent pregnancy for the adolescent parents, particularly the mothers, and for their children, both in terms of negative outcomes for them and the cost to society. According to a recent study, the gross annual national cost of adolescent child bearing and the entire web of social problems that confront adolescent parents, particularly the mothers, that ultimately lead to the poorer and sometimes devastating outcomes for their children, is calculated to be an astounding $29 billion.' Secretary Joe Leean of the Department of Health Each year more than one million and Family Services and Secretary Linda Stewart of U.S. teenagers become pregnant -- the Department of Workforce Development, Co- - 19 11% of all women aged 15 Chairs of the Executive Committee, share Governor and 22% of those who have had Thompson's goal that all Wisconsin children will have sexual intercourse become the opportunity to succeed and to achieve maximum 2 pregnant self-sufficiency. This document is only the first step toward reducing adolescent pregnancy in Wisconsin. It identifies what works, addresses what needs to be done and who needs to be involved. But like any other plan, the key to success lies in the implementation of the plan. 1 If states want TANF funding, they are required by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 to submit a State Plan which provides numerical goals and a focus on unwed pregnancy reduction for calendar years 1996 through 2005. 2 Henshaw, S.K., research note in Family Planning Perspective 3 Robin Hood Foundation Special Report on the Costs of Adolescent Childbearing, Kids Having Kids 5 9 To that end, the Subcommittee working in partnership with the newly constituted state Interagency Prevention Coordinating Committee will draft an action plan that will be submitted to appropriate state agency heads by August of 1998. Its success will depend on broad ownership and action at both community and state levels. We strongly encourage all local communities to assess themselves against the plan and develop local strategies for implementation based on that assessment. In addition, it is critically important that all local, state and national public policy and laws support families and protect our children. MISSION The vision and mission of the Subcommittee reflect a belief in all of Wisconsin's children, a hope for the future and the need for a plan that is comprehensive in nature, community based, builds on the assets and resiliency of young people, and addresses risk factors. The subcommittee adopted the five guiding principles that apply to all programs funded by the Bureau of Public Health Maternal and Child Health Section. These principles, developed with broad stakeholder involvement, communicate the core values upon which the plan and the strategies to reduce adolescent pregnancy are based. Visibn Statement The Wisconsin Community is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow into a healthy, resilient This includes the right to have and self-supporting adult. a healthy family, a supportive community, a quality education and the opportunity to view him or herself as a valuable person. MisSion Statement Adolescent males and females will successfully navigate the passage to adulthood pregnancy free through Wisconsin's development and implementation of a state-wide plan which helps communities and families support adolescents, by building assets and resiliency and reducing risk factors in teens' lives. 10 6