1. Evaluating a Pregnant and Parenting Program for Homeless Youth : The Night Ministry’s Response Ability Pregnant & Parenting Program (RAPPP) Elizabeth Calhoun, PhD University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health Division of Health and Policy Administration

2. Response Ability Pregnant & Parenting Program (RAPPP) 5 year program Assists pregnant and/or parenting adolescents and their children Goals: provide interim shelter, case management, and empower youth to meet their basic needs Open Door Youth Center-Lakeview

3. Open Door Youth Shelter - Lakeview established 1976 Located in Chicago non-profit faith-based non-denominational 8-bed, 8-crib (Lakeview) The Night Ministry (TNM)

4. Open Door Youth Shelter—Lakeview Common living space Typical bedroom

5. Taken during a baby shower

6. The Population Served Recruited thru Simpson Academy and street outreach Pregnant and/or parenting females 14-19 years and their children Homeless, not wards of the state Chicago-based, outreach targets youth from all over the city with various backgrounds Experience suggests most from South and West Sides

7. Services Provided Education regarding health pregnancy and parenting Employment training Referral to on-site and community based health care for mother and her children Partnership with Homeless Youth Mental Health Program for individual and group therapy and psychiatric assessment and consultation

8. Evaluation Plan & Comparison Group A two-arm, quasi-experimental trial using repeated measures Simpson Academy (High School for pregnant and parenting girls) will provide comparison data 2:1 comparison vs. intervention group Goals: RAPPP intervention model will have 1. Safe, stable housing 2. Improved parenting skills/job readiness 3. Greater social network

9. Challenges to Address Inherent challenges in developing tools that accurately measure progress  questionnaires Client Retention given precarious housing situations Assumptions of the program model, e.g. 1. positive father-mother relationship 2. evaluating progress based on comparison group- no real adequate comparison group Untrusting youth Maintaining communication between multiple sites

10. Lessons Learned Training staff to be cognizant of varying circumstances and cultures Retain non-judgmental stance Use incentives and engaging activities to maintain interest and follow-up  Basic resources (food, shelter, clothes..); phone follow-up for data gathering; cards with main keep in touch number; reminder cards for follow-up; relationship building activities; newsletter