Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Despite declining birth rates, the U.S. still has the highest rate of teen childbearing among developed countries, and 1 in 4 teen girls will become pregnant before the age of 20. With nearly 300 births to teens annually, DuPage County ranks 5th highest (out of 102 counties) in Illinois for the number of births to teens. As these numbers compound year by year, there are potentially thousands of teen parents in our community struggling to attend school, earn a living, and raise a child at the same time. In response, Teen Parent Connection delivers a continuum of education and support services to adolescent mothers and fathers (ages 12-22) and their children (ages 0-5) in DuPage County. Compared to the national averages for teen parents and their children, TPC program participants experience improved child health outcomes, increased capacity to meet a child's needs, increased social and emotional support for the family, and decreased risk of child abuse and neglect.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Community-Based Doula Program
Doulas offer pregnant teens and their support partners home-based prenatal education and services that encourage healthy prenatal practices, offer support during labor and delivery, and nurture bonds between babies and mothers and fathers. These bonds serve to establish the foundation for a child’s future healthy growth and development.
Childbirth Education Classes and Prenatal/Postpartum Support Groups
Childbirth classes are doula-led and dedicated to educating expectant young parents on the importance of maintaining good overall health during pregnancy. This safe and supportive environment provides pregnant teens and their support partners an opportunity to learn more about pregnancy, labor, and delivery. A separate Prenatal Support Group expands social and emotional support services to address the needs of pregnant young mothers prior to their third trimester. A newly piloted Postpartum Support Group helps participants process their birth experience and receive education and support for postpartum depression.
Healthy Families Program
Healthy Families is a long-term, evidence-based home visiting program. As part of a primary prevention model, services begin either prenatally or at birth. Home visits are designed to support and strengthen positive parent-child relationships, promote positive growth and development in children, and build families’ protective factors.
Young Parent Support Groups
Weekly group meetings provide educational and social support opportunities to help reduce the isolation young parents often face. After a nutritious meal, a trained group facilitator leads discussion on a variety of topics including health, relationships, and workforce development. On-site volunteers prepare meals and provide childcare free of charge.
Individual, Couple, and Family Counseling
Counseling services are offered to all program participants. These services are designed to help families facing increased stressors that can result in depression, family violence, and risk for child abuse and neglect. Counseling sessions are provided in the Teen Parent Connection office or through home visits.
Parents' Pantry
The Parents’ Pantry is an incentive-based program in which Teen Parent Connection participants can shop for baby and personal items, including diapers, wipes, and formula, using coupons earned by participating in our programs.
Peer Prevention Program
This pregnancy prevention curriculum is delivered to middle school and high school students. The program also offers parents of adolescents information and support that empowers and encourages them to be their children’s primary health educator by opening a healthy dialogue with their children about sexuality and their family values. This program continues to expand, now serving over 14,000 students in and around DuPage County.
Where we work
Accreditations
Prevent Child Abuse America 2014
External reviews

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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The overall goals of Teen Parent Connection are to 1) decrease the teen pregnancy rate in DuPage County by educating youth about the risks and responsibilities of teen pregnancy and parenthood; 2) promote the healthy growth and development of children born to teens, including the prevention of child abuse and neglect; and 3) empower adolescent parents to achieve self-sufficiency by providing the support, education, and resources they need to realize their goals.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Becoming a parent for the first time is a daunting experience for even the most prepared adult. For the adolescent parent, the stress can feel insurmountable. Young parents face staggering challenges: high-risk pregnancy, inadequate education, poverty, isolation, depression, and a shortage of key life skills and other resources needed to raise children in a stable, healthy environment. As a result, the children of teens are at high risk for premature birth, serious health complications, child abuse and neglect, poverty, school failure, and incarceration -- many will even repeat the cycle of teen parenthood.
As the only nonprofit organization in DuPage County exclusively focused on teen pregnancy and parenting, we ensure that no young family has to face these challenges alone. Our Adolescent Family Strengthening programs - including doula, home visiting, and group support services - offer young parents (ages 12-22) a comprehensive continuum of support, education, and resources from pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten. These programs are carefully designed to positively impact parent knowledge and behavior, decrease stress, improve family functioning, and increase access to resources. Over time, Adolescent Family Strengthening participants experience remarkably improved health and education outcomes compared to national averages. Each year, Teen Parent Connection serves more than 500 young parents and their children.
With unparalleled commitment to the young families in our service area, Teen Parent Connection is uniquely positioned to deliver an impactful message on teen pregnancy prevention to middle school and high school students. In presentations to thousands of students each year, a trained health educator explains the risks associated with teen pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. Following this presentation, a peer educator -- a teen parent and program participant -- shares a personal story focused on the realities of parenting at a young age. Peer educators are able to speak from firsthand experience to other teens about the importance of delaying pregnancy until they are financially and emotionally ready to face the consequences.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Since our founding in 1985, Teen Parent Connection has remained the only nonprofit organization in DuPage County exclusively focused on teenage pregnancy, parenthood, and teen pregnancy prevention. Our professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate staff provide education, motivation, and support to young mothers and fathers and connect them to the resources they need to effectively navigate both their own adolescence and early parenthood.
As a respected member of the human services community for more than three decades, Teen Parent Connection is committed to strengthening existing partnerships with state and local government agencies, corporations, foundations, community groups, and individual donors. We also focus our efforts on identifying and cultivating new partners, laying the foundation for sustainable expansion and enhancement of services to young families as their needs grow and change over time.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In FY 2020 (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020), Teen Parent Connection achieved the following outcomes related to the previously stated objectives:
• Fewer than 1% of participant children were victims of child abuse/neglect.
• 97% of Doula participants had full-term births, thereby lowering the rate of cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, learning problems, chronic lung disease, and vision and hearing problems in their children.
• 91% of babies born to Doula participants were born at a healthy birth weight.
• 100% of participants who had a Doula present at their birth initiated breastfeeding.
• 100% of fathers attending Childbirth Education reported an increase in understanding of the importance and impact of their roles and responsibilities throughout their child and co-parent’s lives.
• 97% of all participants have identified a primary care provider for themselves and their children, ensuring continuity of medical care.
• 100% of participants reported that they felt more prepared for their doctor visits and were better able to communicate with their healthcare providers.
• 83% of all program participants immunized their child according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' immunization guidelines. 4th quarter (March – June) 2020 immunization rates were impacted due to families delaying preventative care during the COVID-19 crisis.
• 100% of parents who attended a depression education presentation reported an increased knowledge of the symptoms of depression and were able to identify at least one community resource to access treatment.
• 95% of participants who received TPC’s mental health counseling services showed a decrease in symptoms of depression.
• 91% of participants who received TPC’s mental health counseling services reported that they are better able to deal effectively with daily problems.
• 95% of participants aged 18 or older graduated high school, or enrolled in high school or a GED program.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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TEEN PARENT CONNECTION
Board of directorsas of 09/16/2021
Mrs. Christine Warman
American Girl (Retired)
Term: 2021 - 2025
Julie Collins
Crowe LLP
Marie Raffl
Teacher (Retired)
Dora Praxedis
BDO Digital Services
Adrian Laurean
DiBella & Laurean LLC
Joseph Beck
Beck & Houlihan P.C.
Jeffrey Nyman
Associated Bank
Joe Roche
LCPC at Benedictine University (Retired)
Bridget Schank
Public Policy Analyst
Maureen Christie Szeszycki
Northern Trust
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: