Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 4, 1994 TAG: 9408040084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The recommendation was adopted unanimously Wednesday by the Roanoke City Teen Pregnancy Task Force Subcommittee.
The group of pregnancy prevention experts is devising a program to snare a $150,000 grant offered by the state to reduce the teen-age pregnancy rate in Roanoke, which is the highest in the state.
But without input from both teen-agers and preteens, the panel fears its efforts may be useless. Adult-written messages often fall on deaf ears, one panel member said.
``It's [the program] got to be user friendly, or [teens] are not going to use it,'' said subcommittee member Virginia Brobeck, supervisor of Roanoke's Court Services Unit. ``We usually find out from them what's going down. We're usually six months behind them.''
The panel was formed after state health officials earlier this year told the city it was eligible for the grant but had to come up with plans for it by this fall. The group is separate from a teen-age pregnancy task force composed primarily of residents, which is working on long-range prevention strategies.
``Essentially, [the task force] is still in a learning mode and a lot of decision-making had to be done quickly,'' said subcommittee member Kathryn B. Haynie, executive director of Planned Parenthood.
The panel intends to use the grant money to beef up existing teen-pregnancy programs rather than trying to duplicate them, said Dr. Molly Rutledge, acting Roanoke Health Department director and chairwoman of the subcommittee.
The group is soliciting applications from youth organizations and health groups interested in receiving pregnancy-prevention funding. Requests should include a general outline of the program and must be submitted by Aug.22 .
The subcommittee also decided to spend the money in no fewer than two programs and no more than four because they do not want the state grant to be too diluted.
The state funds are expected to become available in October, said James W. Bailey, coordinator of the Teen Pregnancy Project in the state health department's Division of Child and Adolescent Health.
Funding would continue for three years, with the city getting $200,000 in 1995 and another $200,000 in 1996. The initial outlay is less because it takes time to activate the program.
The subcommittee will allocate the grant money among programs that:
Promote the value of abstinence among teens.
Target high-risk populations, including males.
Improve access to health care services.
Advocate parental involvement and communication.
by CNB