The Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) Office of Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting (T3P) has embarked on a mission to reduce teenage pregnancy and improve academic and social outcomes for parenting students and their children by the end of 2020. This New Education Bargain at BPS has been fortunate to partner with HOPE Buffalo, a project of CAI Global and the Erie County Department of Health. The HOPE Buffalo initiative is a community-based project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention grant.

By actively investing in this community-school relationship, Buffalo Public Schools’ Division of Student Support Services’ T3P Office has implemented three separate, but related, evidence-based programs to reduce teen pregnancy and assist students, parents, and staff in building strong bonds between school and community – which will result in numerous positive outcomes.

The three evidence-based initiatives funded through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention grant and supported by HOPE Buffalo are:

  • Raising Healthy Childrena K-6 program that builds student academic and social skills, and school bonding, through teacher training and parent workshops
  • Be Proud, Be Responsible! sexual health curriculum for middle school students
  • Reducing the Risk sexual health curriculum for high school students

Currently Raising Healthy Children and Be Proud, Be responsible! are being implemented in 5 BPS Pre K-8th grade elementary schools and Reducing the Risk is taught in all BPS high schools.

In addition to these programs, HOPE Buffalo is mobilizing the Buffalo community to become more involved with adolescent health and wellness. As part of that effort, comprehensive links and a referral guide for educators, community-based organizations, and other service providers will soon be available in order to assist groups and individuals in offering high-quality care that is youth affirming and responsive to adolescents’ needs.

BPS Student Support Services’ T3P Office intends to continue the partnership with HOPE Buffalo and seek opportunities to sustain these invaluable programs for youth and families beyond the life-span of the grant.

To learn more about HOPE Buffalo and to improve youth health and wellness, please visit the HOPE Buffalo website: www.hopebuffalo.org and take the pledge for healthy teens.

For more information regarding the school’s programs contact, Holly Dickinson, MS.Ed.CAS, Project Administrator for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Office of Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting at 333 Clinton Street, Room 320 Buffalo, NY 14204, (716)816-3912