HCI Home >> Services >> Statewide Technical Assistance Resources (STAR)

The STAR program is a demonstration project, funded by the Office of Population Affairs. The program is comprised of two model programs, Centers for Youth and Families and Healthy Connections, Inc.

STAR is consistent with Title XX, the Adolescent Family Life statute.

The overall goal of our demonstration project is to reach out to organizations in both rural and urban communities to help them establish programs to serve pregnant and parenting teens and their families in their own communities.

We will identify communities across Arkansas that are interested in developing new pregnant and parenting teen programs. In addition, we will collaborate with the Arkansas Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to identify organizations that need assistance to help them improve their current programs.

Centers for Youth and Families and Healthy Connections have developed and managed successful OAPP programs for pregnant and parenting moms and dads over the last several years. We have learned what works and what does not and want to expand our services to allow us to serve as consultants to other community organizations in Arkansas who need a program of this type.

We will develop the training manual and compile the training materials necessary to replicate our programs. All materials will be customized to meet the needs of urban areas and rural areas.

At the end of the five-year grant cycle, we will develop ten new programs in Arkansas and enhance an additional ten programs that are current Children's Trust Fund grantees. This will result in a statewide network of programs that serve pregnant and parenting teens. These programs will be able to assist a total of more that 5,000 individuals.