Reaching out to Young Families
The mission of Insights Teen Parent Program is to create a climate of positive options for young families.
“If I could get the world's attention, I would like them to know just because we are teenage moms doesn't mean that we are not good parents.” —Susie, Age 17
Link to Connect for Kids "A Teen Mom Reaches High" Link to Portland Tribune Letters to Editor "Couple deserves support, not scorn."
Insights is one of the few nonprofit agencies in the United States devoted exclusively to the needs of young parents. Since 1979 its mission has been to create positive options for young families, empowering young parents to take positive control over their lives. This is done through a number of programs offering:
• Parenting education and support for young fathers
• Prenatal health and education and developmental screenings for children
• Violence prevention
• Networking and peer support
• School advocacy
• Housing and emergency assistance with food, diapers and personal supplies
• Mental health counseling; drug and alcohol risk assessment
• Development of life skills that lead to self-sufficiency
Insights Teen Parent Program is the primary agency serving teen parents in Multnomah County. Every year, Insights serves an average of 1,500 teen parent families, offering our services at the agency, in homes, schools, and in other local non-profits. Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in Oregon has declined over the years, the number of high-risk teen parents has increased. The vulnerable young families that Insights serves live in poverty and often rely on welfare. Without support from Insights young moms often have more pregnancy complications, low birth-weight babies, and their children more health problems.
“At Insights our goal is to help teen parents establish safe, healthy and productive lives for themselves and their children,” says Cohen-Alpert. “And when we accomplish that there will be less teen crime, violence and homelessness. Everybody wins —the children, the parents, their extended families and the community at large.”
© 2003 Insights Teen Parent Program. All rights reserved