Fostering Safe Choices Final Report

Abstract

High rates of pregnancy and subsequent termination, miscarriage, or birth among adolescent females in the United States have rallied concerted efforts by healthcare providers, educators, youth advocates, parents, and policy makers, and other stakeholders, for over two decades. Child welfare services providers are in the unique position of working with those youth who are most vulnerable, such as runaway youth, youth in out-of-home placements (due to abuse or neglect), youth involved in the juvenile/adult justice system, youth addicted to substances, and youth with various physical and/or mental disabilities. Although our understanding of pregnancy trends within the foster care population are somewhat limited, there is good reason to believe that pregnancy rates in foster care have resisted the recent reductions in adolescent pregnancies experienced in the general population. As a result, The Fostering Safe Choices project was developed by Maryland DHR and the University of Maryland School of Social Work and tasked with examining the incidence of pregnancy among young women in foster care and to assess what is known about effective prevention programs targeting youth in care. (From project summary)