Building Community Partnership to Sustain the Minnesota Student Parent Support Initiative
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FROM THE FIELD
Building Community Partnership to Sustain the Minnesota Student Parent Support Initiative Sheila E. Amenumey1 · Elizabeth A. Gardner1 · Kathryn M. Linde1 · Amy L. Margolis2
© The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Purpose Considerable attention has been given to the sustainability of adolescent health programs as federal funds have become limited. This article describes important steps and lessons learned in seeking buy-in from stakeholders to promote sustainability and secure non-federal funds to maintain the Minnesota Student Parent Support Initiative (MSPSI) after federal funding ended. Description MSPSI was established in 2010 to address the academic and health needs of expectant and parenting postsecondary students. MSPSI provided coordinated case management and referrals to health, education, and social services for expectant and parenting adolescents, as well as for their children, through Student Parent Centers (SPCs). Six important actions sustained the SPCs after the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) grant funds ended in November 2017: (1) preparing and planning for sustainability, (2) creating and engaging a sustainability committee, (3) assessing sustainability needs and creating a sustainability plan, (4) creating a data system to collect relevant data, (5) building capacity to support communication with decision makers, and (6) sharing data and success stories. Assessment The implementation of the sustainability plan resulted in ongoing communications and data sharing with key partners that helped secure additional funds for continuing the program after OPA funding ended. Conclusion Implementing the MSPSI sustainability plan developed from OPA’s sustainability framework was effective in sustaining the SPCs after federal funding ended. The sustainability planning, the ability to secure funds, the attempt at passing legislation, and the lessons shared in this article provide valuable guidance to organizations seeking strategies to sustain adolescent health programs. Keywords Sustainability · Community Partnership · Office of Population Affairs · Expectant andParenting Students · Postsecondary Student Parents
Significance What is already known on the subject: Much emphasis has been placed on assessing the efficacy of adolescent health programs, but little attention has been paid to sustaining the programs after federal funding ends. To our knowledge, * Sheila E. Amenumey [email protected] 1
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Minnesota Department of Health, Child and Family Health Division, Maternal and Child Health Section, P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164‑0882, USA Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Office of Population Affairs, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 700, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
there has been no comprehensive discussion in literature on how building community partnerships and early planning can sustain adolescent health programs, particularly student parent programs. What this study adds: This paper illustrates how selecting the right stakeh
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