Prior to the Title V monies, a governor's council to prevent teen pregnancy established community coalitions to enact community-targeted interventions. When Title V was enacted, the community coalitions were the logical venues for program development and implementation. The first two years centered on community member recruitment and program planning. Evaluation efforts were process-oriented, focusing on coalition membership, member satisfaction, and retaining members and program coordinators. The state program managers and evaluator provided technical assistance in needs assessment, goal setting, objective writing, and establishing liasons within the communities. Conflicts with members and outside organizations hindered program development efforts. Based upon community input, each coalition has enacted separate action plans to expand the reach of the programs through educational or motivational activities to achieve the end goal of delaying the onset of sexual actity in teens. coalitions use peer education, parent communication workshops, drama, youth panel presentations, Baby Think It Over dolls, teen workshops, and Assett-based programs. Districts choose which programs they want evaluated, and often control groups are not available. The last YRBS was conducted in 1995 but baseline data regarding abstinence or sexual activity have not been allowed to be collected. Current examples of evaluation efforts will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: 1. Explain how coalitions can be used to aid in the implementation of abstinence-only programs. 2. Describe the process used to recruit members to join coalitions that promote abstinence-only programs. 3. Explain how to deal with conflicts when implementing abstince-only programs
Keywords: Sexuality, Coalition
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.