HR0276LRB097 11535 KXB 54455 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate the Illinois
4Subsequent Pregnancy Project, supported by the Illinois
5Department of Human Services, on the 20th anniversary of the
6project; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project is one
8of the few adolescent programs in the nation that addresses the
9issue of rapid repeat childbearing among adolescent mothers and
10is focused specifically upon delaying a second pregnancy; the
11project involves providing consistent, hands-on help to
12teenage mothers; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The project was started as a small pilot program
14in 1990 by Pat Mosena, President of Options for Youth, as an
15Illinois Department of Public Health program and was later
16moved to the Illinois Department of Human Services; it is a
17true community-based program effort among collaborating local
18agencies; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project has had
20remarkable success using a model combining an ongoing,
21long-term relationship with a trained home visitor, a
22bi-monthly advisory group meeting, and culminating in

 

 

HR0276- 2 -LRB097 11535 KXB 54455 r

1intensive training to become peer educators for participants in
2the program; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project has
4served some 3,000 participants from 50 communities and reports
5that only 3 percent had a second pregnancy while in the program
6and 87 percent have remained in school or graduated; girls are
7referred to the program by physicians, social service agencies,
8and school counselors; and
 
9    WHEREAS, A 10 year evaluation supported by the MacArthur
10Foundation reported that rates of second pregnancies among
11participants in the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project are
12lower than other community-based programs across the country
13and that high school graduation rates are twice the national
14average for pregnant and parenting teens; and
 
15    WHEREAS, As the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project
16prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this vital and
17much needed program, we congratulate them for their hard work
18and dedication to others; therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
20NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
21we thank Pat Mosena and the men and women of the Illinois
22Subsequent Pregnancy Project and wish them continued success in

 

 

HR0276- 3 -LRB097 11535 KXB 54455 r

1the future; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
3presented to the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project as a
4symbol of our respect and esteem.