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Effective: 12/22/2020

4.55.1 Pregnant Youth

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

Procedure

​The SSW:
  1. Ensures that the youth receives a physical examination, following the guidelines in SOP 4.26 Meeting Basic Health Care Needs, for confirmation of pregnancy and to determine when the baby is due to be born when pregnancy of a committed youth is suspected; 
  2. Refers the youth for medically complex designation at any time during the pregnancy if it is determined that the pregnancy is high risk, or that the fetus has medical complications; 
  3. For a pregnant youth, ensures that the youth is assessed if substance misuse is suspected; 
  4. Ensures that the pregnant youth completes an online Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment to determine areas in which the youth has strengths and/or needs assistance for: 
    • Independent living by selecting the age appropriate assessments; 
    • Pregnancy and delivery by selecting the Casey Inventory for Pregnant Teens (Please see related information for appropriate websites); ​and 
    • LYFT curriculum (if not completed). 
  5. Ensures that the pregnant youth: 
    1. Attends all prenatal appointments; 
    2. Enrolls and attends all prenatal Lamaze classes when recommended by the medical provider; 
    3. Enrolls and participates in the HANDS program offered through the local health department; and 
    4. Receives mental health services, if needed. 
  6. Convenes a family team meeting (FTM) following the guidelines in SOP 1.7 Family Team Meetings and includes participants including, but not limited to: 
    1. The pregnant youth; 
    2. The youth’s parents if no termination of parental rights (TPR); 
    3. Suspected or confirmed father; 
    4. Foster parents or private child care (PCC)/private child placing (PCP) worker; 
    5. Regional independent living specialist; 
    6. HANDS (health department) worker; and 
    7. Mental health therapist, if applicable. 
  7. Facilitates topics in the case plan meeting such as: 
    1. Placement status and/or placement change to a: 
      1. Foster home; or 
      2. Residential facility. 
    2. Information on making an informed decision about parenting, adoption, or abortion; 
    3. The youth’s educational progress, including options such as special educational services and/or tutoring if needed; and
    4. Options for post-secondary/vocational training. 
  8. Once the baby is born, the SSW: 
    1. Ensures that the youth: 
      1. Attends all post-natal checkups as scheduled; and 
      2. Attends all well-baby checkups as scheduled. 
    2. Requests paternity testing; and 
    3. Assists the youth with the following referrals:1 
      1. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program through the local health department; 
      2. Family support for needed services; 
      3. Daycare assistance when the youth is ready to return to school and/or work; 
      4. First Steps, as needed; and 
      5. Parenting classes.

Footnotes

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  1. ​Please see SOP 4.6 Parenting Youth Supplement for further guidance.​
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Documents

Revisions