A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Alternative Schools for Pregnant and Parenting Teens

Florence Crittenton School/Human Services Inc.

Mission:

Provide a wide range of comprehensive and integrated services to help teen parents and their babies achieve economic self-sufficiency and positive educational, social and health outcomes.

In existence since 1893, the Florence Crittenton School is a school- and community-based nonprofit agency that works in partnership with the Denver Public Schools. Programs are located in city, county and urban areas and serve Hispanic (65 percent), African-American (22 percent), white (9 percent), Asian (2 percent), and American Indian (2 percent) populations. Ages range from 11 to 19 for teen mothers and 14 to 21 for young fathers. Approximately 100 pregnant teens, 150 teen mothers, and 60 teen fathers are served each year, and child care is provided for 125 babies.

Founded as a residential home for unwed mothers, the Florence Crittenton School has evolved into a multiservice day program that is the largest provider of services to teen parents in Denver and a recognized leader in innovative, effective, and cost-efficient services for teen parents and their babies. The program will soon change its name to The Florence Crittenton Center for Young Families, which better reflects the broad scope of the program?s mission to help teen parents raise strong, healthy, and self-sufficient families.

The Teen Mothers School Program operates in partnership with Denver Public Schools and collaborates with over 75 different organizations, agencies, and businesses in the Denver community. Using an alternative school model, the program helps pregnant and parenting teens to complete their education, deliver healthy babies, develop effective parenting skills, obtain postsecondary training and employment, acquire marketable job skills, and prevent repeat pregnancies. Comprehensive services include accredited middle and high school academic classes, counseling, case management, prenatal/infant health education, parenting education, support groups, career development/job readiness classes, vocational training, and placement in part-time jobs. The program also sponsors a community outreach pregnancy prevention project.

The Young Fathers Program also works closely with the Denver Public Schools, as well as with over 30 agencies, organizations, and businesses in the Denver community. Using an after school model, the program helps young fathers complete their education, obtain employment, acquire marketable job skills, assume financial support for their children, establish paternity, and develop effective parenting skills. Comprehensive services include parenting education, job readiness training, job placement, counseling, case management, and support groups.

The Infant/Toddler Development Program provides an early learning environment for the babies of teen parents and serves as a child development and parent training lab. Emphasizing a developmental model and providing a highly enriched environment, the program helps infants and toddlers achieve developmental milestones in the cognitive, physical, social/emotional, and language areas.

Evaluation methods include tracking birth weight statistics, developmental screenings, health monitoring, child abuse and neglect statistics, graduation rates, repeat pregnancy statistics, completion of career training program, employment statistics, and enrollment in postsecondary and vocational training.

[Alternative Education for Pregnant and Parenting Teens]

[Margaret Hudson Program, Inc.]