TPC 2021 Webinar Series
The TPC has launched our 2021 Webinar Series! This was a professional development opportunity for people who work with and serve teen parents across Colorado. The series was a forum for practitioners, researchers, policymakers, advocates, and stakeholders working with pregnant and parenting teens to share expertise, network, and gain professional knowledge to improve practice and service delivery.
Click below on each title to learn more and to re-watch our speakers!
Click on the webinar titles below for more information about each webinar.
Who:
- Jada Galassini — Activist, parent and speaker
- Dr. Nia West-Bey & Dr. Jamie Riley — Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
- Indra Lucero — Founder and Director, Elephant Circle
- Vanessa Roberts — Executive Director, Project VOYCE
What: This webinar will explore issues of race, age and gender to provide participants with tangible practices they can incorporate to address systems of oppression. Through the lens of working with teen parents, panelists will provide information on their work to address systemic racism, agism, and sexism in their respective fields. The panel will begin with the experience of Jada Galassini, activist and parent, who will share her story and how she uses that to help leverage change in her community. Dr. Nia West-Bey and Dr. Jamie Riley will discuss some of their research and experience in the field to improve and reshape current systems that continue to oppress and marginalize youth and young adults. Indra Lucero, Founder and Director with Elephant Circle will bring a Colorado perspective, sharing their long term work and activism to address systemic policy and structural system elements that perpetuate racial disparities and contribute to disproportionately poor birth outcomes for women of color. Indra is leading a community driven effort during the 2021 session to introduce a package of legislation that will directly address the maternal health crisis in Colorado. Finally, we will hear from Vanessa Roberts, Executive Director of PROJECT Voyce, who will share how to operationalize equity at the center of organizational procedures, sharing her own experience elevating youth as the leaders of her organization.
When: Friday, March 26, 1:00 – 2:30 MT
Who: Courtney O’Reilly, Director, Tax Help Colorado,
What: This interactive session is geared for teen parents and those who live with them to support them in completing their taxes, including filling out forms, determining eligibility for federal and state tax credits (EITC, Child Care, etc.) and filing the forms.
Who:
- Dr. Norma Perez-Brena, Ph.D., Texas State University
- Dr. Rebecca Fauth, Ph.D., Tufts University
- Demetrious Jenkins, Fatherhood Initiative Coordinator, Families Forward Resource Center
What: This discussion will include presentation on co-parenting strategies, and strategies for recruiting and engaging teen fathers in programs. Dr. Norma Perez-Brena will discuss her experience adapting co-parenting curriculum for teen parents and Dr. Rebecca Faust will provide information about her work studying home visiting programs and successful strategies she observed with the recruitment and retention of young mothers and fathers in these programs. Finally, Demetrious Jenkins will provide a Colorado perspective, discussing his work to facilitate a fatherhood group at the Families Forward Resource Center in Denver.
Who:
- Dr Christine Balentine, Aurora Mental Health Center
- Amelia Ehmer, PsyD, Children’s Hospital Colorado
- Brace Gibson, JD, CPCQC
- Megan Lyda, Parents Thrive Colorado
What: This session will focus on common mental health concerns among youth, maternal mental health issues, , and how to specifically identify and support teens parents when they are experiencing these issues. Brace Gibson, maternal health advocate with the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative, will share her experience serving the traumatic birth of her daughter when she was 16 and her resulting perinatal mental health issues that followed. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss strategies for identifying issues and supporting teen parents in accessing help when they notice mental health issues arising. With that discussion, participants will hear about a new web-based resource, Parents Thrive Colorado, that is making it easier to find and connect with relevant information, resources, services and stories that offer mental health support at every step of the parenting journey.
The TPC thanks RAISE Colorado and Parents Thrive Colorado of the Perinatal Action Network for their sponsorships. Limited number of scholarships are available, see below for information on how to request one.
Webinar Topics:
- Considering Race & Equity for Teen Parent Services, Tuesday, March 30th, 12:00 – 2:00 pm MT
- Tax Filing Preparation for Teen Parents, Friday, March 26th, 1:00 – 2:30 pm MT
- Practices for Co-Parenting and Father Engagement, Tuesday, April 27, 2:30 to 4 pm MT
- Understanding Mental Health and Maternal Health Issues, Thursday, May 13, 10:00 – 11:30 am MT
