Common/Unity: an innovative program to address 3 root causes of many of the social ills seen in adolescents.
Multiple community agencies coordinated their individual expertise to develop a comprehensive program for a planned community in a 24-apartment complex for single, young (age range, 18-21 years), homeless mothers and their infants and children. Although objective evaluation of the program proved difficult, "community" was established and lives were changed. The program was designed to address multiple issues faced by teenaged mothers but did not directly address critical factors of youths' internal motivation and decision-making processes. Attempting to reverse major impediments in the lives of young mothers with histories of violence, abuse, unstable early home environments, and lack of education while assuming the sole responsibility of raising a child, advancing their education, and maintaining employment is a daunting task, but a task that deserves our urgent attention.
Duncan
Burris
B
Professor of Pediatrics & Public Health, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ 85724-5073, USA. bduncan@peds.arizona.edu
Harris
Gail
G
Reedy
Jessica
J
Krahe
Sue
S
Gillis
Regina
R
Laguna
Michele
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D016730:Program Development; D012649:Self Concept; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D012940:Social Problems / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014754:Violence