Teen Pregnancy Prevention: Implementation of a Multicomponent, Community-Wide Approach

Abstract

This article provides an overview and description of implementation activities of the multicomponent, community-wide initiatives of the Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program initiated in 2010 by the Office of Adolescent Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The community-wide initiatives applied the Interactive Systems Framework for dissemination and implementation through training and technical assistance on the key elements of the initiative: implementation of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) interventions; enhancing quality of and access to youth-friendly reproductive health services; educating stakeholders about TPP; working with youth in communities most at risk of teen pregnancy; and mobilizing the community to garner support. Of nearly 12,000 hours of training and technical assistance provided, the majority was for selecting, implementing, and evaluating an evidence-based TPP program. Real-world implementation of a community-wide approach to TPP takes time and effort. This report describes implementation within each of the components and shares lessons learned during planning and implementation phases of the initiative.

Keywords: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health; Community-wide initiatives; Implementation; Interactive systems framework; Technical assistance; Teen pregnancy; Teen pregnancy prevention; Training.

Figure 1

Key elements of the multicomponent, community-wide initiatives. Evidence-based interventions and clinical services are the main pillars of the initiative. The supporting elements (community mobilization, stakeholder education, and working with diverse communities) seek to enhance the likelihood that the evidence-based intervention and clinical services elements will have the desired impact on teen birth rates and ensures all strategies within each component are culturally appropriate and tailored to the needs of the community. Common activities implemented within each element are listed.

Figure 2

Training and technical assistance model. The Prevention Synthesis and Translation system distills the research and provides user-friendly materials for local prevention partners. The national training and technical assistance organizations (prevention support system) provide training and technical assistance to the nine state- and community-based organizations. The state- and community-based organizations (also prevention support system), in turn, provide training and technical assistance to their local partners (prevention delivery system) to support EBI implementation and clinical improvements. Training and technical assistance hours provided by the prevention support system are included in the model. EBI = evidence-based intervention; HHS = Department of Health and Human Services; PSBA-GTO = Promoting Science-Based Approaches to Teen Pregnancy Prevention-Getting to Outcomes; TTA = training and technical assistance.