HR0276 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0276 LRB097 11535 KXB 54455 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project, supported by the Illinois Department of Human Services, on the 20th anniversary of the project; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project is one of the few adolescent programs in the nation that addresses the issue of rapid repeat childbearing among adolescent mothers and is focused specifically upon delaying a second pregnancy; the project involves providing consistent, hands-on help to teenage mothers; and

WHEREAS, The project was started as a small pilot program in 1990 by Pat Mosena, President of Options for Youth, as an Illinois Department of Public Health program and was later moved to the Illinois Department of Human Services; it is a true community-based program effort among collaborating local agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project has had remarkable success using a model combining an ongoing, long-term relationship with a trained home visitor, a bi-monthly advisory group meeting, and culminating in intensive training to become peer educators for participants in the program; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project has served some 3,000 participants from 50 communities and reports that only 3 percent had a second pregnancy while in the program and 87 percent have remained in school or graduated; girls are referred to the program by physicians, social service agencies, and school counselors; and

WHEREAS, A 10 year evaluation supported by the MacArthur Foundation reported that rates of second pregnancies among participants in the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project are lower than other community-based programs across the country and that high school graduation rates are twice the national average for pregnant and parenting teens; and

WHEREAS, As the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this vital and much needed program, we congratulate them for their hard work and dedication to others; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Pat Mosena and the men and women of the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project and wish them continued success in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project as a symbol of our respect and esteem.