Starting Out Right

SORTP offers a fun approach to guide teen parents towards a successful future with their child.

SORTP provides an interactive way to receive education and support for new teen mothers. This app is a great way for busy young mothers to receive much needed information and support rather than attend formal group education classes. Teen mothers are introduced to the app by their parenting educator at the first visit after the birth of their baby, and are encouraged to starting using it to prepare for their first video/virtual visit.

The app contains 8-modules that include the following topics: healthy relationships; goal setting; communication; skill-building; adolescent development; abstinence; birth control/condoms; STD’s/STI’s and HIV/AIDS; birth spacing; domestic violence; education; jobs and careers; and community resources. Throughout each module teen mothers will be asked to read the content, watch videos and read supplemental information, as well as answer a variety of questions related to the information in that module. Each module can take up to one hour to complete, with the hope of all 8 being completed by the time their baby is 6 months old. Electronic notifications are sent as reminders to complete each module. Teen mothers can save their work and come back into the app at a later time, allowing for flexibility to meet their needs.

As each module is completed the teen mother will have the capability, through the app, to schedule their corresponding interactive virtual learning session with their parenting educator. The next app module in the series will not be available to the teen until the prior one is completed and the interactive virtual learning session is held. At the conclusion of each module the parenting educator will provide the next unlock code for the next module and encourage the teen mother to continue on in this learning process. On the full series is completed each teen mother will meet for a personal visit with their parenting educator to receive incentives that she has earned during the modules and interactive video sessions. Incentives include diapers, baby items, children and parenting books and a gift card for their participation.