
Earlier this year, the U.S. Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Adolescent Health launched a nation-wide competitive bid for replicating teen pregnancy prevention programs deemed effective through vigorous evaluation. The Children’s Aid Society-Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program (CAS-Carrera) was listed among the 28 models that HHS identified as evidence-based, and only one of two models backed by well-conducted randomized controlled trials showing a sustained impact on reducing teen pregnancy rates. Of the 75 grantees that were awarded a total of $75 million, nine agencies representing eight states were selected to launch the renowned CAS-Carrera model in their communities.
The program model, initiated by Dr. Michael A. Carrera over 25 years ago, uses a holistic, scientifically-proven seven-core component approach that empowers young people to develop personal goals, build resilience, generate a genuine desire to delay childbearing and, in turn, lead long, productive lives. The Carrera program operates five days a week, some Saturdays and six weeks during the summer from age 11 through high school graduation. Participants continue with the same cohort of peers year-round until they graduate from high school and enter college.
We are thrilled the federal government is supporting our ‘above the waist’ approach to pregnancy prevention and we look forward to working together with an extraordinary and diverse group of communities, including non-profits, a school district, municipal
– Dr. Carrera
These additional 27 replication sites will serve more than 900 youth in Grades 6-12 with an emphasis on rural settings, thereby building the program’s capacity to succeed in a variety of underserved communities. The new CAS-Carrera partners are:
- Delaware
West End Neighborhood House, Inc.
Wilmington, DE
www.westendnh.org - Florida
JWB Children’s Services Council of Pinellas County
Clearwater, FL
www.jwbpinellas.org/ - Georgia
Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA
www.msm.edu/ - Illinois
Children’s Home & Aid Society of Illinois
Chicago, IL
www.childrenshomeandaid.org - Michigan
Teen HYPE Youth Development Program
Detroit, MI
teenhype.org/index.html - New Jersey
South Jersey Healthcare
Vineland, NJ
www.sjhealthcare.net/content - New York
Grand Street Settlement, Inc.
New York, NY
http://www.grandstreet.org - New York
New York Mission Society, Inc
New York, NY
www.nycmissionsociety.org - West Virginia
Children’s Home Society of West Virginia
Charleston, WV
www.childhswv.org