November/December 2009 Promising News

...from the President & CEO
The Story of Precious is Very Real
Michele Ozumba This month I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the movie, Precious.  I was aware of the glowing reviews and Oscar buzz, but I went with more of a sense of curiousity rather than high expectations.  Afterall, the subject matter is one that more often than not, gets brushed with the glow of Hollywood happiness rather than the gritty truth.
 
The film focuses on Claireece "Precious" Jones, an obese, illiterate, pregnant 16 year old introvert who is physically and emotionally abused by her mother.  She is pregnant with her second child, both of whom are the result of the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father.  Precious' world is a nightmare of life filled with unrelenting abuse at home, virtually invisible at school, and deep difficulties within her heart and mind.  Not until she finds refuge at an alternative school with a caring and interested teacher and friends, does Precious begin to reveal her resilience and determination.  Sexual abuse, poverty, school failure, violence and homelessness...not exactly a formula for a blockbuster movie.  But sadly, it is the formula, all too often, entrenched in the adolescent pregnancy equation.  Like most who have seen the film, I found it equally painful and powerful.  As someone who works with young women facing these challenges throughout Georgia, I also found it real.
 
There were many parallels to the work we do every day at G-CAPP.  Our staff went together to see the movie and what remained top of mind for all of us was how much Precious needed our Second Chance Homes program.  Second Chance Homes are much more than shelter; they are a safe haven for teenage mothers who come from situations where they live in unsafe homes, or have no consistent living arrangement at all. Very often, their childhood has been characterized by difficult family circumstances with little support or protection.  G-CAPP's network of 11 Second Chance Homes throughout Georgia has been successful in providing a safe and secure home environment, supporting the young mothers to complete high school, as well as providing knowledge, skills and motivation to prevent a repeat pregnancy.  Since 2001, G-CAPP's network of Second Chance Homes has served nearly 800 young mothers and their children, which for many, was the last stop after multiple placements in foster care.  At the end of the movie, I couldn't help but think that a Second Chance Home would have been a welcoming sanctuary for Precious as she struggled to create a different life path for herself and her children.
 
What we know for sure: adolescent pregnancy is highly correlated with histories of abuse in one form or another.  On a national level, one in three girls will experience sexual violence by age 18.  In Georgia, there are 13,000 children in foster care; all removed from abusive, dangerous or neglectful homes.  It is unsettling to think about the obstacle course each must navigate in transition to adulthood; even more difficult for those who become parents as teenagers in foster care.  I urge everyone to make time to go see Precious.  More importantly, take a young person with you and start a conversation.   You'll be amazed how many young people know someone like Precious in their schools.  And at this time of year, let's remember what a difference a caring adult can make in the life of young person.  It's not just what we say; it's how we make them feel.  Wishing you a happy holiday season. 
  
Michele Ozumba
 
G-CAPP making inroads one county at a time

G-CAPP recently received $10,000 from the William H. Flowers Foundation to assist in the development and implementation of a teen pregnancy prevention strategy in Thomas County. G-CAPP will guide the Thomas County Family Connection in developing a year-long plan, including educating the community about teen pregnancy, establishing a teen-peer coalition, and implementing a review and assessment of the schools sex education policies.

With 122 pregnancies in a year to girls in Thomas County under 19 years old, Kathy Megahee, director of Thomas County Family Connection says the timing couldn't be better. "This is a grave concern for parents, teachers, the community," said Megahee.

"Thanks to the Flowers Foundation and G-CAPP we will now have additional training, tools and resources to help mobilize a community-wide effort to reduce teen pregnancy."

 
Mission PossibleThis Month's Success Story

Can we really eliminate teen pregnancy? Yes we can. And, as we often explain to those interested in our work but not as familiar with our approach, the operative word is "we." To give our readers and supporters a better understanding of our strategy, this month's Mission Possible takes you inside G-CAPP's collective approach to reversing Georgia's stunning teen pregnancy rate.

How it works: Think of G-CAPP as a connector. We are the one organization in the state singularly focused on eliminating teen pregnancy and the only organization that can bring cohesion to the fragmented teen pregnancy prevention battles that are being waged by organizations, school districts, teachers, parents, teens and others on the local level.  G-CAPP works actively with these groups to provide information, expertise, training and support for programs that work.

On the education front and with G-CAPP spearheading, this year alone 6,500 students in six Georgia school districts, with some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the state, changed their policies from abstinence only to comprehensive sex education. This move ensures that thousands of middle and high school students will receive both, abstinence only education as well as age appropriate, medically accurate information about reproductive health, making good choices, and more. G-CAPP sees this as critically important as it is well documented that one in five teens report having had sex by age 15.

Further, in a concerted effort, G-CAPP forms partnerships with numerous organizations that have longstanding relationships with parents and teens such as the Georgia PTA, Family Connection, and Communities in Schools to mobilize local action and promote effective teen pregnancy prevention strategies both in and outside the classroom.  G-CAPP also provides educational services, life skills and social/emotional support to parenting teens to reduce the high rate of repeat teen pregnancies. A large part of G-CAPP's work is focused on repeat teen pregnancies. More than 25% of Georgia's teen pregnancies are repeat pregnancies, the second highest in the nation.

G-CAPP is the one entity that connects knowledge, expertise, resources and proven practices in teen pregnancy prevention and ensures that they are made available to people working in the field.

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