Its goal is to help the teens become nurturing parents, attain the education and skills needed for self-sufficiency, and expand opportunities for their children. The program aims to reach 95 percent of all pregnant teens in Boulder County with information about available services. About 70 percent of the money comes from the cities of Boulder and Longmant and from Boulder County.
Case managers work with the teens to develop a plan to address their individual needs.
Considered a key component of the program s success, the resource parents serve as positive role models who offer first-hand knowledge and experience. They make sure the young woman receives prenatal care, understands family planning, and has been coached in bonding with her child. The resource parents also encourage her to finish school and plan for a career. They help secure transportation when necessary, and if she has a problem with drug or alcohol abuse, the resource parents make sure she has access to treatment. In 1989, after Colorado courts ruled that such funds belonged to the county, Boulder commissioners decided to use the money for preventive programs.