In 1998, MTCI began its adolescent program in response to the numbers of first time and repeat pregnancies among the community’s teens who were presenting themselves and asking for help. The abstinence program directed teens toward understanding their physical, emotional and academic development, while enhancing their resistance skills in regard to participating in unhealthy risk behaviors such as sex, alcohol, and drugs.

We began to participate in community functions that had a youth focus. We joined DeKalb County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Taskforce. This facilitated the collaboration with DeKalb Health Department’s Youth Development program. This partnership allowed access to conferences and programs sponsored by Adolescent Health and Youth Development. Service opportunities expanded to provide education and support to the Drug Court parents on strategies for parental involvement encouraging teens to choose abstinence. The teens were exposed to comprehensive risk avoidance strategies designed to impact character-based decision making. Selection of three high schools (Redan, Cedar Grove, and Lithonia) and two middle schools (Redan and Lithonia) to provide abstinence until marriage education that directed teens toward goal setting, decision making and refusal skills was implemented. Between 1998 and 1999, MTCI managed and delivered programs for local governments and agencies. These included awards from The Status of Health, DeKalb’s Neighborhood prevention project that addressed nutrition in pregnant adolescent with an emphasis on abstinence. Each goal and objective outlined in the prevention project was successfully meet. The financial management and accountability for fund disbursements met the standard established by the funding agency. Periodic reviews were conducted to address regulatory and liability concerns.