Our Partners Made 2020 Worth It

We’re not here to tell you what a challenging year 2020 was – you already know. We’re in your inbox to acknowledge the remarkable organizations who worked with Fact Forward on our major projects that positively impacted communities in South Carolina – and that’s worth highlighting

Expanding Opportunities for Teen Mothers and Families in South Carolina – Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs

Awarded in 2020, this project identified key zip codes in Aiken and Anderson Counties to implement the Adult Identity Monitoring for Teen Moms (AIM4TM) curriculum. AIM4TM reduces rapid repeat pregnancies and increases economic stability among teen mothers. The project also includes a state core team that will increase awareness about the two generation (2Gen) approach to improve outcomes for young families. The following partners are committed to improving the lives of teen moms and their families – thank you to United Way of Anderson County, Helping Hands of Aiken County, Core for Applied Research and Evaluation, South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, Children’s Trust of South Carolina, UofSC Communications and Web Development, UofSC Community Health Worker Institute, South Carolina Department of Social Services, SC First Steps and Mary Black Foundation.

EmP.O.W.E.R.ed SC: Creating Linkages for Youth of Color in South Carolina – Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs

Also awarded in 2020, this project is focused on increasing the use of sexual health services by youth of color ages 15 to 19 in Orangeburg and Richland Counties. Though partners aren’t solidified yet, they’ll include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), local health departments (Title X provider) and/or federally qualified health centers, community-based organizations and/or local businesses.

Linking Older Adolescents to Reproductive Health Services – Funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation

Thank you to UofSC Aiken, Francis Marion University, Voorhees College and Winthrop University for making project Reproductive Health Education Access (RHEA) possible. Project RHEA includes the implementation of the online program Media Aware with students ages 18 to 19. The program provides education on reproductive health and the prevention of unintended pregnancy, HIV, and STIs.

Expanding the Reach of Effective Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs in High Need South Carolina Communities – Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs

This project focused on building the capacity of school districts, local DHECs and other youth-serving organizations in Anderson, Aiken and Orangeburg Counties to replicate evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs with youth. Thank you to UofSC Communications and Web Development, UofSC Core for Applied Research and Evaluation, Anderson School Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Renaissance Academy, Foothills Alliance, Upstate DHEC (Anderson), Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg Community Action Agency, Inc., New Foundations Home for Children, Aiken County Schools, Midlands DHEC (Aiken), Orangeburg County Schools and Lowcountry DHEC (Orangeburg) for making this project a success.

Accelerating Progress: Strengthening Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives – Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs

Thank you to AMI Sandhills, Alston Wilkes Society, Broad River Road Complex, Midland’s Regional Evaluation Center, Columbia Urban League, New Horizon’s Family Center, Tamassee DAR School, Sowing Seeds, Low Country Youth Services, Palmetto Place, White Horse Academy, Pendleton Place, South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, South Carolina Department of Social Services, and Upstate Fatherhood Coalition for your commitment to South Carolina adolescents. Throughout the year, this project provided organizations with the training needed to implement evidence-based programming.

Community Support for Young Parents Program– Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs

The Community Support for Young Parents Program focused on meeting the educational, social service and health needs of eligible individuals and their children during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Thank you to Children’s Trust of South Carolina and the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families for their leadership throughout this project. Other partners who made this grant successful are Darlington County First Steps, Family Outreach of Horry County, Midlands Healthy Start - Prisma Health, Mary Black Foundation, Middle Tyger Community Center, Upstate Family Resource Center,  Man 2 Man, A Father's Place, Midlands Fatherhood Coalition and Upstate Fatherhood Coalition. 

Teen Health Initiative Project – Funded by the Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation

Without the support of the Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation and the dedication of Carolina Human Reinvestment, the Teen Health Initiative Project in Georgetown County wouldn’t have been possible this year. This project decreases the number of births among Georgetown teens (ages 15-19) and increases adolescents’ (ages 11-18) understanding of the consequences associated with early/or risky sexual behavior.

State Personal Responsibility Education Program – Funded by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

The State Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) continued to promote healthy relationships, positive adolescent development, financial literacy and parent-child communication skills this year through the hard work of the Joseph H. Neal Wellness Center, Dillon County Boys and Girls Youth Center, CareSouth, Dillon District #4, Boys and Girls Club, Dramatic Coffee Beans, Florence School District, Hope Health, SC Empowerment Centre, Bloom and UofSC Lancaster.

Creating Access to Quality Reproductive Health for Adolescents – Funded by The Duke Endowment

This project focused on providing professional development and training to health care providers serving pediatric and young adult patients to reduce teen birth and STI rates and increase HPV vaccination rates in South Carolina. The key partners for 2020 were Coastal Carolina University, Geenville DHEC, Fairfield DHEC and Tandem Health.