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The Family Planning of South Central New York has recently announced that they have been awarded the Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (CAPP) grant totaling $1.8 million dollars.
The grant is a five year grant from the New York State Department of Health to help further implement community based programs that support adolescent prevention initiatives in communities that lack resources and/or opportunities.
Family Planning of SCNY currently has adolescent prevention and education initiatives in Broome, Chenang, Delaware and Otsego counties. The grant will now give Family Planning of SCNY the ability to expand medically accurate, age appropriate, evidence based programs focused in Broome, Chenango and Cortland counties.
“We are so excited to receive this grant,” said Andrea Guccia, Director of Education at Family Planning. “This funding allows us to continue to implement medically accurate, age appropriate, evidence based programs in three counties in an effort to reduce youth pregnancy, STI and HIV rates through school districts and community based organizations. Our programs will increase protective factors among youth ages 14-18 in our region, including opportunities for engagement with schools and the community, avoidance of high risk behaviors, development of social emotional skills, and demonstration of positive norms to support transition to a healthy, productive, and connected adulthood.”
The organization recently opened their Cortland County office in January of this year at 165 Main Street in the City of Cortland.
The grant will also allow the organization to hire two new educators and one education coordinator, and also fund three of their Teen Counts summer programs in Broome County. Additionally, part of the grant funding will go towards a newly renovated Teen Center in the City of Binghamton, opening this Fall.
