Abstract: High live birth and pregnancy rates among teen females in South Carolina prompted the South Carolina Legislature to appropriate funds for the development of a statewide initiative to address the problem. Advocacy by the S.C. Campaign to Prevention Teen Pregnancy with key legislators and state leadership resulted in the appropriation of $10.5 million of unused TANF funds for distribution to all 46 counties over a 3-year period. All counties were eligible to request funds and design interventions consistent with their local needs and acceptable within their community culture. The legislation imposed an emphasis on abstinence-based programming, male involvement, community collaboration and development of a 5-year plan. The legislation also required the counties to send representatives to single-day meetings for orientation. Other than these specific requirements the state did not dictate the county decision-making process or the determination of local intervention plans, placing full responsibility on the counties to plan and develop their own initiatives. The University of South Carolina was awarded the contract to create a standardized evaluation plan to assess the efficacy of the interventions in all counties. Legislation dictates all initiatives must participate in evaluation. Key lessons learned in lobbying for initiatives will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1) identify the stakeholders and strategies which resulted in the approval and funding by the S.C. legislature of adolescent pregnancy programs in all S.C. counties, 2) recognize the strengths and limitations of legislation which allows for local decision-making in the determination of intervention planning and implementation.
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.