Defining, implementing, and evaluating strategies guided by best practice for community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiatives

Despite recent declines, U.S. teen birth rates remain higher than rates in other industrialized nations and racial/ethnic disparities persist. As part of the President's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, CDC is partnering with the federal Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health to reduce teenage pregnancy and address disparities through multicomponent, communitywide initiatives. Five key components are addressed through this program model: 1. Community Mobilization and Sustainability - Engaging all sectors in a communitywide effort for teen pregnancy prevention 2. Evidence-Based Programs - Promoting evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs 3. Increasing Youth Access to Contraceptive and Reproductive Health Care Services - Ensuring teen friendly, culturally competent services, accessible to all youth 4. Stakeholder Education - Educating civic stakeholders about evidence-based strategies to reduce teen pregnancy 5. Working with Diverse Communities - Raising awareness about the link between teen pregnancy and social determinants of health; Ensuring culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and services Through the process of forging this innovative, communitywide TPP model in ten distinct communities, a series of strategies guided by best practice-- strategies with demonstrated effectiveness-- were identified for each component. Corresponding assessment and evaluation tools along with technical assistance and training were provided to ensure consistent and quality implementation. This series is allowing unique communities to apply a common, evidence-informed approach to each component. This presentation will provide an overview of the strategies, and the process for defining, implementing, and evaluating this series. Specific examples from the Clinical Access and Working with Diverse Communities components will be highlighted.