• 109-01 FLE With Unmarried Parents: The Relationships and Parenting Support (RAPS) Program
  Presented by: Patricia Willilams, Linda Oravecz
• 109-02 Providing Family Education for Grandparent Caregivers: Lessons From the GRandS Program
  Presented by: Kate Fogarty, Larry Forthun, Maisielin Ross, Shelby Rudd, Peggy Dorvil, Sue Bartolomeo
• 109-03 Purdue's Pregnancy and Parenting Education of Adolescents Through Extension Initiative (PPEATE)
  Presented by: Dreama Love

Abstracts

FLE With Unmarried Parents: The Relationships and Parenting Support (RAPS) Program

Presented by: Patricia Willilams, Linda Oravecz

This study examined the Relationships and Parenting Support Program (RAPS), a stress reduction program for expectant or new mothers. The goal of the preventative family life education program was to decrease pregnancy- and relationship-related stress and increase positive relationship behaviors and the use of coping skills in low-income African American mothers in Baltimore, MD. Quantitative data suggests RAPS improved participants' relationships, coping behaviors, and stress levels. Successes and challenges in developing and implementing the program will be discussed.

Providing Family Education for Grandparent Caregivers: Lessons From the GRandS Program

Presented by: Kate Fogarty, Larry Forthun, Maisielin Ross, Shelby Rudd, Peggy Dorvil, Sue Bartolomeo

Grandparents caring for their grandchildren represent a vulnerable family population with specific educational needs. The purpose of this roundtable discussion is to introduce the GRandS (Grandparent Resilience and Sustainability) Program model. The roundtable discussion will include brainstorming on: how needs assessment and evaluation inform program implementation; selection of appropriate curricula; the necessity of and ways to work with community partners; and additional methods to enhance sustainability (e.g., training grandparent volunteers). Also tools and materials covering: best practices in educational program implementation with grandfamilies; building collaborations and coalitions; needs assessment; and program evaluation will be provided as additional resources for participants.

Purdue's Pregnancy and Parenting Education of Adolescents Through Extension Initiative (PPEATE)

Presented by: Dreama Love

A grant from the Indiana State Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, to Purdue University Health and Human Sciences (HHS) Extension focuses on meeting the needs of pregnant and parenting teens in five counties of Indiana. Using existing Extension prenatal and parent program resources in concert with a mentoring program (Moms Together), teens participating in the first-year pilot have access to parenting and health information with state and local resources to improve teen birth outcomes and parenting skills. Results from the pilot initiative will be shared as well as analysis of specific parent outcomes for teen parents.