Parents Too Soon/Doula Annual Report, 2008-09.

This annual report for 2008-2009 describes the activities and outcomes of the Parents Too Soon (PTS) programs, intensive home visiting programs in Illinois that aim to maximize the abilities of teen parents to care for their children and continue their own development. All PTS programs provide long-term home visiting services (3 to 5 years) to teen parents and their young children using one of three nationally recognized research based models: Healthy Families America, Parents As Teachers, and Nurse Family Partnership model. In addition, 12 of the 22 programs receive supplemental funding to provide doula services. Data is highlighted from 2009 that indicates: 2,092 families received 27,590 home visits and 965 families received doula services; PTS home visitors conducted 5,109 developmental screenings; over 64% of fathers of children enrolled in PTS programs were involved with their children on at least a weekly basis; over 70% of mothers enrolled in PTS scored higher on a measure of maternal efficacy after program participation than they did at enrollment; 85% of children in PTS programs were up-to-date with required immunizations; 74% of the mothers in PTS programs who gave birth in FY 09 initiated breastfeeding; and 282 teen moms in PTS programs graduated from high school or received their GED. Additional information on outcomes in the areas of breastfeeding, children's health, educational attainment, postponement of subsequent births, maternal efficacy, and father involvement are discussed, and vignettes are included that describe the success of participants in the PTS programs. 14 references.