The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it is awarding more than $68.5 million through cooperative agreements in 29 states and Puerto Rico to support the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program. The TPP program is a national, competitive grant program that provides funding to replicate and scale evidence-based TPP programs and develop and evaluate new and innovative approaches to improve adolescent sexual health outcomes and promote positive youth development in communities across the United States.
“Improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes and promoting positive youth development is a cornerstone of supporting adolescent health and well-being,” said Admiral Rachel L. Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health. “The TPP program provides essential resources to replicate and scale programs that have been proven effective to achieve these goals.”
Through the TPP program, HHS seeks to advance equity in adolescent health by supporting projects that serve communities and populations with the greatest needs and facing significant disparities. In addition to implementing evidence-based programs, funding supports meaningful engagement of youth, parents/caregivers, and the community in the design, implementation, and monitoring of the project; and active collaboration with a network of partners to increase awareness of and access to adolescent-friendly health services.
“These grant awards reflect the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to both sexual and reproductive health and to prioritizing health equity by centering the experience and expertise of the communities these funds are intended to serve,” said Jessica Swafford Marcella, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs. “The funded organizations will serve an estimated 210,000 youth each year and focus on reaching communities and populations that are disproportionally affected by unintended teen pregnancy and STIs.”
The Advancing Equity in Adolescent Health through Replication of Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs and Services cooperative agreements will support 53 organizations with awards ranging from $350,000 to $2 million to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes, promote positive youth development, and advance health equity for adolescents, their families, and communities through the replication of medically accurate and age-appropriate evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs and services. These new, five-year awards will start July 1, 2023.
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