Communities may often lack the resources to deliver intensive programs to assist teen mothers, and many eligible adolescents may decline participation in lengthy interventions. Therefore, alternative approaches involving less resource and time may be needed. Behavioral economics (BE) can inform the development of such novel interventions. BE often…

The proportion of teenagers engaging in sex has declined in recent decades, and rates of teen births in the United States have reached a historic low (Osterman et al., 2022). However, risky sexual activity, which can result in teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), remains a concern. To help reduce teen pregnancies and STIs…

In 2010, Congress authorized the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program by enacting section 511 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 711, which also appropriated funding for fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Subsequently enacted laws extended funding for the program through fiscal year 2022. The program is…

As they grow up, young people face important decisions about relationships, sexuality, and sexual behavior. The decisions they make can impact their health and well-being for the rest of their lives. Young people have the right to lead healthy lives, and society has the responsibility to prepare youth by providing them with comprehensive sexual…

Support for WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, is based on the belief that "WIC works." This consensus has lately been questioned by researchers who point out that most WIC research fails to properly control for selection into the program. This paper evaluates the selection problem using rich data…

Describes features of the federal-state Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) Program for teenage parents. JOBS Program strategies focus on teenage parent identification, financial incentives, enriched educational services, strong case management, networks with community agencies, and a commitment to responsibility by teenage parents.…

This databook describes the status of maternal and child health in America; the nation's progress in reducing infant mortality, low birthweight babies, and the percentage of pregnant women who receive late or no prenatal care; patterns of teenage and out-of-wedlock childbearing; and the extent to which certain safety net programs, such as Aid to…

This study describes and assesses the early years of implementation of Title II-A of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) in regard to its services to women. Title II of JTPA is the major Federal program intervention--funded at about 1.8 billion dollars annually--aimed at providing employment and training services for the economically…

A study reviewed how states are serving teen parents in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program. Teen parents receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) during a selected month of fiscal year 1992 were randomly sampled in 16 states. A questionnaire collected data from their JOBS and AFDC case workers. Telephone…

Testimony was heard from two panels concerning: (1) child care as a supportive service designed to ensure parents' access to education, job training, and the labor market; and (2) the effectiveness of federal programs in administering to child care needs. Witnesses appearing in the first panel described (1) experience as a single parent; (2)…

In order to provide guidance for agencies in developing effective programs for pregnant and parenting teens, this article analyzes data from 21 federally funded care programs involved in a national evaluation. First, the question of a program's location and structure was addressed. Rural projects were found to be less service-rich than their urban…

The effectiveness of employment and training (E&T) programs in improving labor market outcomes can be assessed by measuring the impact on the future success of participants. The program with the greatest success in reducing dropout rates among at-risk youth is the Quantum Opportunities Project. Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA)…