MOAPPP July 2005 E-Monthly

Designing and Evaluating Programs with Intent

July 19 & July 20, 2005
Zuhrah Shrine, 2540 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404

MOAPPP hosts national trainers from Healthy Teen Network and ETR Associates to provide two fabulous training opportunities. These trainings are a must for you if…

  • you want to be sure that your pregnancy prevention program is designed in a way that will have the greatest impact on the kids you serve
  • you are unsure about how to measure whether your program is reaching the outcomes you hoped to achieve.

Click here for more information


Update: Comprehensive List of Adolescent Parent Providers

MOAPPP and the MN Department of Education are conducting an online survey of all adolescent parent services and programs around the state. Our goal is to develop a web-based, comprehensive list of adolescent parent providers to serve as a resource to anyone working with or concerned about teen parents and their children. Service providers will be able to access this on-line resource from the MOAPPP and Department of Education websites. If you are a provider of adolescent parent services and have not completed the survey, contact Marilyn Colby Rivkin at [email protected] and we will send you the link to the survey.


In the News

Lao Family Releases Hmong Teen Pregnancy Report and Website

After many years of laboring and countless hours of hard work, Lao Family Community Youth and Families Department and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) unveiled the new Lao Family website and teen pregnancy report. The website provides data and facts about teen pregnancy issues in the Hmong community and includes results from their extensive community survey and birth record analysis.


University of Minnesota Community Assistantship Program
Deadline: Monday, July 11

The Community Assistantship Program is accepting applications for its fall grant program. The grant allows rural communities to hire a University of Minnesota student to work on a project defined by those communities. Eligible organizations include community groups, organizations and local governments in Greater Minnesota (plus outer suburbs in the Twin Cities). Many different types of projects can be funded, but current priority is projects related to the environment (especially renewable energy), children and families and community arts. Communities who are awarded grants will write a job position description, review applications and select the student who best meets their needs. Click here for more information.


MN Immigrant Health Task Force Report Now Online

From 2002-2004, more than 75 professionals with extensive experience in immigrant health came together as the Minnesota Immigrant Health Task Force, a group convened by the Commissioners of MDH and DHS. In January 2005, the Minnesota group released formal recommendations in 8 key areas identified as essential to improving the health of the state’s foreign-born population. The full text of the report is available online (PDF).


New Report Explores First-Year Impact of Title V Federal Abstinence Education Programs

The government-sponsored evaluator Mathematica Policy Research Incorporated, released its first report on the impact of selected, federally funded, abstinence-only programs. This report did not measure behavior change, focusing only on attitudes and intentions of the youth participants as well as access to services (Maynard RA, Trenholm C, Devaney B, et al. 2005). First-year impacts of four Title V, Section 510 abstinence education programs. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

  • Full Report (PDF)
  • Mathematica Press Release
  • SIECUS Press Release
  • Advocates for Youth Reaction to Report

U.S. Lawmakers Introduce Bill That Would Require Some Clinics To Notify Parents Before Dispensing Contraceptives to Minors

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Rep. Todd Akin (R-Miss.) introduced legislation (S 1279, HR 3011) in both the Senate and House that would require federally funded health clinics to notify the parents of any minors seeking contraception at least five days before dispensing the contraception. The legislation — known as the Parents Right to Know Act — would not require clinics to obtain parental consent. The legislation would apply to all clinics nationwide that receive federal family planning funding. A full article is available on Kaisernetwork.


New York Times Examines How Content in U.S. Sex Education Films Has Remained ‘Relatively Unchanged’ Since 1950s

The New York Times examined how the content presented in films used in sex education classes in the United States has remained “relatively unchanged” over the past 50 years. More information is available from Kaisernetwork.


U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Improving, Racial Disparities Persist; Officials Warn States Far From 2010 Goal

The U.S. infant mortality rate is improving, but racial disparities still exist. Black children are almost twice as likely as other children to die before their first birthday, according to statistics released on Thursday by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics.


Illinois Governor Announces $2M in Grants for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) on Tuesday announced $2 million in grants for 35 community-based teen pregnancy programs in the state. The groups receiving funding will conduct a variety of outreach activities aimed at preventing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including teaching sex education at area schools, beginning an abstinence billboard campaign, producing a play about teen pregnancy prevention and launching a self-esteem-building program for boys. A full article is available on Kaisernetwork.


Montgomery County, MD Cancels Controversial Sexuality Education Program

After an all-out campaign against the Montgomery County, MD school system’s revised sexuality education program and pilot program, a federal judge blocked the program from being implemented in early May. Largely as a result of the controversy, the Montgomery County school board decided to cancel the entire program in late May and instead create an entirely new program. For full story visit www.siecus.org.


Advocates for Youth Releases Talking Points related to Benefits of Condoms

Advocates for Youth provides analyses and talking points on helpful facts and context relating to adolescent sexual health issues currently in the news. This month Advocates focuses on efficacy of condoms and the continued attempts to undermine condom use among sexually active youth. Read more online at www.advocatesforyouth.org.


New National Abortion Data

U.S. abortion rates continued to decline in 2001 and 2002, although the rate of decline has slowed since the early 1990s according to new data from the Alan Guttmacher Institute. Click here (PDF) to read the full report.

 

MOAPPP Events

July 19 & 20, 2005
Designing and Evaluating Programs with Intent. A two-day training for adolescent reproductive health professionals.

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Zuhrah Shrine, 2540 Park Avenue
Minneapolis

We are all committed to providing programs and services that meet the needs of the youth and families we serve, but how do we know if our efforts make a difference? This training provides tools to design effective sexuality and reproductive health programs and evaluate their impact.

Day One: Behavior – Determinant – Intervention (BDI) Logic Model highlights a useful tool for designing and strengthening programs and guiding program evaluation design.

Day Two: Program Evaluation Basics offers key elements of effective program evaluation.

Registration:
MOAPPP member $40.00 per day, $70 two-day
Non-member $55.00 per day, $100 two-day
You may choose to register for one or two days; however, these trainings are most effective when you participate in both days.

Space is limited. Advance registration is required. Registration deadline is July 8, 2005.

For more information and registration form.


August 1-3, 2005
August 4, 2005 (graduate students only)
Skills for Effective Health Education: Teaching About Sexuality and HIV
2005 Summer Institute in Adolescent Health

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
College of St. Catherine, Carondolet Center
St. Paul

This institute will focus on the “how” and “why” of effective sexuality and HIV education. Emphasis will be on teaching skills that are useful in any subject, and critical in teaching about sexuality and HIV, such as knowing how to create productive learning environments, use interactive and practice methods, and deal with student discomfort. The Summer Institute is sponsored by the U of MN Center for Adolescent Nursing, U of MN Healthy Youth Development – Prevention Research Center and MOAPPP. Registration is $250.00 for three day institute. Registration is limited. Deadline is July 18, 2005. For more information call: 612-624-3029 or e-mail . You can also get the registration form online.

 

Other Events

August 12-14, 2005
Second Annual African Health and Immigration Conference

For more information contact Kirkpatrick Weah, 612-432-0869.


August 13, 2005
The 2005 Latino Family Resources Fair

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Midtown Public Market
Between 22nd Avenue and Hiawatha on Lake Street
Across from Midtown YWCA
Minneapolis

Resources, health screenings, health insurance information, legal and immigration resources, games for children, live music and dancing, traditional food.

To reserve a booth or for more information call La Oportunidad at 612.872.6165/ MHP at 612.337.3209.


August 13, 2005
Minnesota Festival for Fathers and Families

12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
North Commons Park
1801 James Ave. North
Minneapolis

The 15th annual festival offers free games, entertainment and food including a petting zoo, a free raffle, free lunch, games for youth of all ages, free pony rides, free birdhouse-building activity, live entertainment and much more! Attendees can browse the exhibit tables of many of Minnesota’s agencies and social services organizations that provide services to fathers and families. For more information please visit www.mnfathers.org


August 25-27, 2005
The Sixth Annual Institute for Program Development and Evaluation (IPDE)

Crowne Plaza Cabaña Hotel, in Palo Alto, CA.

IPDE provides teen pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention program staff with the information and skills they need to integrate science-based principles and practices into planning and evaluating effective prevention programs. The 2005 IPDE conference will include five courses (taught during 2.5 days) that collectively cover program modeling, process and outcome evaluation, and best practices in teen pregnancy and STI/HIV program development and adaptation. The deadline for registering for the 2005 IPDE conference is July 22, 2005. For questions, e-mail or call Dr. Julie Solomon at 650-949-3282 x206 (toll free 800-846-3475 x206). For more information or to register, please visit the conference webpage.