TABLE OF CONTENTS. Objective and Need for Assistance Service Arca Needs of Service Area Capacity Building Needs Project Objective. Capacity Building Strategy. Experience. Organizational Capacity... Project Staff. Program Benefits a Appendix A: 501 (c) 3 Letter Appendix B: Timeline. Appendix C: Collaboration Letter Appendix D: Key Staff: Voluntary Budget or Tribal Membership Assurance Endnotes ee 18 20 21Objective and Need for Assistance Service Area: The Westside Pregnancy Resource Center is a non-profit organization (Appendix A) in Los Angeles County, home to over 9.5 million people. WPRC is located in Santa Monica in Service Provider Area Five (SPA 5). This area includes 224 square miles and extends from the Pacific coastline of Malibu to the north and Westchester to the south, and inland to encompass all of West Los Angeles and Culver City.’ Experience has shown that our service boundaries actually far exceed SPA 5, as many women and their families travel hours by bus to take advantage of services offered exclusively by the WPRC. Needs of Service Area: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of people in L.A. County living below the poverty level is 17.9% which is far above the national poverty level of 12.4%." In the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica where WPRC is located however, the percentage of people living below the poverty level is a whopping 22%." A large population of teenagers and young adults live on the Westside of Los Angeles where there is a high incidence of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). There Ast are approximately 9,000 unplanned pregnancies per year in S wally transmitted diseases pose another health threat to the community. The incidence of reported new cases of AIDS in 2000 in SPA 5 was 7 per 100,000". However, the AIDS/HIV infection is but one of more than twenty STDs affecting teenagers throughout L.A. County. In 1997, almost one third of all reported cases of STDs affected people between the ages of 10 and 19." STDs in SPA 5 have grown in number over the last five years, increasing at an average rate of 3% per year." Capacity Building Needs: The first issue to be addressed is a result of the medical clinic addition in 2004. The staff at WPRC has encountered a new level of client needs. WPRC has become aware that over 50% of its clients are not pregnant. In order to better serve clients 2 WRC Proposalwhose pregnancy tests are negative tests as well as all male clients, a new sexual integrity program will be implemented so that clients do not find themselves again facing the dilemma presented by an unplanned pregnancy or STD. According to the Community Services Director for WPRC™, clients are expressing a desire to become abstinent but are unsure about how to attain this goal. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation reports that 92% of teens between the ages of fifteen and seventeen believe being a virgin in high school is a good thing." In recognition of this trend, WPRC is expanding its services to include a program to reduce the incidence of sexual activity and other high-risk behaviors among teens in the community through a character-based sexual integrity program. A study reported in Pediatrics magazine showed that sexually active girls ages 12 10 16 ‘are 7 times more likely to smoke and 10 times more likely to use marijuana than virgins of the same age", Similar increases in high-risk behaviors, including alcohol use, were seen for sexually active boys of the same ages. “The report describes sexual activity as a ‘significant associate of other health-endangering behaviors’ and notes an increasing recognition of the interrelation of risk behaviors*.” ‘The second issue that needs to be addressed pertains to the enhancement of the day-to- day operations of the medical clinic. The establishment of WPRC’s medical clinic has allowed the Center to access more youth engaging in high risk behavior. However, additional nurses are needed to interface with these young clients. Presently, the Clinic Supervisor is hard pressed to complete her administrative duties because she must devote the majority of her time to direct, interaction with clients in the clinic. Relieving the Supervisor of this responsibility would allow improved tracking of the clients, better placement in appropriate programs and the better funding, through Medi-Cal reimbursement. This money would contribute to future clinic funding. WPRC Proposal