Interim Impacts of an Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program Model: Findings from the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Replication Study

A major priority for the Department of Health and Human Services is finding ways to reduce teen and unwanted pregnancy. A key strategy to achieve this goal is through investing in evidence-based pregnancy reduction strategies and targeting populations at highest risk for teen pregnancy. The federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, which began in 2010, includes funding for programs that are intended to address high rates of teenage pregnancy by (1) replicating evidence-based models, and (2) testing innovative strategies. Funding is structured to maximize investments in programs that have been shown to be effective, but at the same time provide support for research and demonstration grants that provide an opportunity to add to the existing knowledge base. This tiered approach to funding underscores the cross-cutting nature of the problem and the strategies to address it.

This presentation focuses on an ongoing evaluation of a set of programs funded through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program. The evaluation includes a rigorous impact study as well as a comprehensive implementation study of multiple replications of three evidence-based program models. The presentation includes: (1) a brief overview of the interventions; (2) interim impact study findings on a range of outcomes associated with teen pregnancy and sexual risk taking behavior; (3) and a discussion of where this study fits in the context of other replications of pregnancy prevention programs.