Howard University DC NEXT! (DC Network for Expectant and Parenting Teens), is focused on Adolescent Family Wellness, Sexual and Reproductive Health.
DC NEXT, in July 2020, received a three-year $1.5 million annual grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Population Affairs. The population of interest for this project are pregnant and parenting teens between the ages of 13-19 years of age at the start of the project, residing in the Washington DC metropolitan. The lead partners for DC NEXT! are The District of Columbia Primary Care Association (DCPCA) as the grant lead, Children’s National Hospital (CNH) and Howard University (HU).
DC NEXT! aims to reduce the teen pregnancy rate and support these families in order to improve health and socioeconomic circumstances, and to reduce racial inequities. To do this, 3 focus areas were identified (a) continuum of care lead by CNH, (b) sexual and reproductive health led by DCPCA and (c) school-based services led by HU.
The School Based service is Nurse led and is implemented through the Division of Nursing, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (CNAHS). Nkechi M Enwerem, PhD, RN is the Principal investigator (PI), Davene M. White, MPH, RN, NNP was Co-PI from 2020-2022, and Zillah J Wesley, MSW, LICSW (Project Manager).
The School Based Services will use Human Center Design (HCD) an innovative approach to address many social, economic and systemic obstacles expectant and parenting teens/youth in the District of Columbia face that reduce educational success, optimal lifestyles and health for themselves and their children.