T.H.I.N.K.

Mission West Virginia has an extensive network of collaborative partners from public and private entities to faith-based partners. In 2007, concerned about the large number of single-parent families and the rising numbers of families with teen parents, several key community leaders and youth united to form T.H.I.N.K. (Teaching Health Instead of Nagging Kids), which is a multi-disciplinary coalition comprised of an epidemiologist, a social worker for children with special needs, 10 area youth, the State Director of the Adolescent Health Initiative, 3 community-based Title V abstinence sub-grantees, the State Coordinator of the West Virginia Abstinence Education Project (West Virginia’s Title V abstinence program), faith-based initiatives and Mission West Virginia, Inc. MWV manages the T.H.I.N.K. program, which currently comprises 5 partner organizations under the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program and the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). MWV and its partners are preferred providers of youth character, health, recreation, technology, and employment programs in partnership with public schools.

 

 

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T.H.I.N.K. is a program through Mission West Virginia, Inc. (MWV) that focuses on adolescents and their health. The program is funded through federal and state dollars to provide education to adolescents across the state of West Virginia on issues related to teen pregnancy prevention, making healthy decisions, and positive relationship development.

Pregnancy Prevention Programs

MWV began their federal TPP program in 2007 and currently runs two pregnancy prevention programs with federal and state dollars. Over the past four years, T.H.I.N.K. has provided over 17,000 students across 14 counties in West Virginia with pregnancy prevention services. The purpose of this project is to greatly expand teen pregnancy prevention services to all youth in West Virginia.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP)

The TPP program is a 5-year federal grant that began in October, 2010 and was awarded through a competitive process to a broad range of grantees and MWV ranked 49th out of 150 grantees in the nation. The grant was awarded in the annual amount of $914,347, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to replicate evidence-based programs to middle and high-school aged youth. MWV, along with three partner organizations, Community Action of Southeast West Virginia (CASE), Rainelle Medical Center (RMC), and Regeneration, Inc. provide teen pregnancy prevention programming to 11 counties WV. MWV and their partners help to create an environment within communities that supports teens to make healthy choices for their future and to prevent teen pregnancy and STDs/STIs.

Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)

The PREP program is a 3-year grant from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative awarded in 2010. Funds from this program allow T.H.I.N.K. to help youth in-- and aging out-- of foster care. Through PREP, T.H.I.N.K. offers quality, evidence-based programming to West Virginia youth in three group homes in two counties in WV. MWV will work to reduce the number of foster youth becoming pregnant before age 19 in West Virginia. In addition, activities and curriculum focused on three adult preparation subjects promoting healthy relationships, educational and career success and healthy life skills are offered to the youth in these group homes.

Healthy Marriage/Relationship Education (HM/R)

The HM/R program is a federal grant awarded in 2011 in the amount of $683,935 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The purpose of this project is to bolster and stabilize healthy relationships in the Appalachian region by providing relationship and marriage education and job and career advancement services to single individuals (parent or legal guardian) and high school youth. MWV partners with Rainelle Medical Center to deliver healthy marriage and relationship education and awareness to 7 counties in WV. In addition, the HM/R program involves individual assessments to indicate personal needs. Through partnerships with Workforce West Virginia and the Department of Health and Human Resources T.H.I.N.K. is able to help individuals gain access to necessary support services.