Amy Dworsky Archives - Healthy Teen Network https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resource-type/amy-dworsky/ Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:16:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cropped-Healthy-Teen-Network_sun_circle-1-32x32.png Amy Dworsky Archives - Healthy Teen Network https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resource-type/amy-dworsky/ 32 32 Promoting Postsecondary Educational Success Among Young Parents In and Aging Out of Foster Care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/promoting-postsecondary-educational-success-among-young-parents-in-and-aging-out-of-foster-care/ Fri, 08 Jul 2022 21:03:25 +0000 https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/?post_type=project&p=300778 Journal Article Read More

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Promoting Postsecondary Educational Success Among Young Parents In and Aging Out of Foster Care

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, June 2022

Lisa Schelbe, PhD, MSW; Amy Dworsky, PhD; Svetlana Shpiegel, PhD, MSW; Andrea Lane Eastman, PhD, MA; Jennifer M. Geiger, PhD, MSW; Milagros Garrido, MS, PMP; Gina Desiderio, MA.

Suggested Citation
Schelbe, L., Dworsky, A., Shpiegel, S. et al. Promoting Postsecondary Educational Success Among Young Parents In and Aging Out of Foster Care. Child Adolesc Soc Work J (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00854-4 

Abstract

This paper explains why more attention should be paid to promoting the postsecondary education of parents in and aging out of foster care. It reviews what is known about postsecondary educational attainment among parents in or aging out of foster care and these parents’ unique challenges to pursuing postsecondary education. The paper describes the Healthy Teen Network Young Parents Logic Model as a framework to think about the needs of parents in and aging out of foster care, including needs related to postsecondary educational attainment. The paper applies the Young Parents Logic Model and highlights strategies to increase postsecondary educational attainment among young parents in the general population and youth aging out of foster care which can also benefit young parents in foster care or aging out. Using the Young Parents Logic Model as a framework, the paper presents policy and practice recommendations to increase postsecondary educational attainment among young parents in and aging out of foster care and with directions for future research.

The manuscript can be read online.

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]]> Developing a Learning Agenda to Address the Needs of Young Parents in Care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/addressing-the-needs-of-young-parents-in-care/ Tue, 11 Jan 2022 19:23:25 +0000 https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/?post_type=project&p=296383 Journal Article Read More

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Developing a Learning Agenda to Address the Needs of Young Parents in Care

Urban Institute, October 2021

Amy Dworsky

 

Suggested Citation

Catherine Kuhns, Amy Dworsky, and Audrey Richardson. 2021. “Developing a Learning Agenda to Address the
Needs of Young Parents in Care.” OPRE Report #2021-189. Washington, DC: Office of Planning,
Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.

 

Abstract

Despite a growing literature on young parents in care, many gaps remain in our knowledge about how best to address their needs. Developing a learning agenda is one way to prioritize the gaps that future research and evaluation activities could begin to fill. This brief presents both a learning agenda and conceptual framework focused on the needs of parenting young people in care

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]]> Bridging the Divide between Child Welfare and Home Visiting Systems to Address the Needs of Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/bridging-the-divide-between-child-welfare-and-home-visiting/ Tue, 22 Jun 2021 16:08:02 +0000 https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/?post_type=project&p=288662 Journal Article Read More

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Bridging the Divide between Child Welfare and Home Visiting Systems to Address the Needs of Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care

Social Service Review, March 2021

Amy Dworsky, Elissa R. Gitlow, and Kristen Ethier

 

Suggested Citation
Dworsky, A., Gitlow, E., & Ethier, K. (2021). Bridging the divide between child welfare and home visiting systems to address the needs of pregnant and parenting youth in care. Social Services Review, 95(1), 110 – 164.

 

Abstract
This article presents findings from an implementation study of a pilot project that connected pregnant and parenting youth in care with home visiting services. It draws primarily on semistructured interviews conducted with the practitioners who delivered those services and the parents who received them. We find that home visiting services can be delivered successfully to pregnant and parenting youth in care and that both practitioners and parents reported that parents benefit from those services. We also find that engaging and delivering services to pregnant and parenting youth in care presents substantial challenges and that home visiting programs sometimes deviated from their standard practices in response. The study has implications for future efforts to provide home visiting services to pregnant and parenting youth in care or to other families involved in the child 

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]]> The sexual and reproductive health of youth in foster care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/the-sexual-and-reproductive-health-of-youth-in-foster-care/ Fri, 19 Oct 2018 09:14:23 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=276359 Journal Article Read More

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The sexual and reproductive health of youth in foster care

Routledge/Taylor and Francis, 2018

Amy Dworsky, PhD, MSW, BA

Suggested Citation
Dworsky, A. (2018). The sexual and reproductive health of youth in foster care. In Elizabeth Trejos and Nancy Trevino (Eds.), Handbook of foster youth. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis. https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781351168243-8

Conclusions
This chapter provides an overview of what we know about sexual behavior, pregnancy, and parenting among this population. It discusses the sexual and reproductive health care needs of this population and how those needs are (or are not) being addressed by federal and state policies. Finally, it examines the state of the evidence on interventions aimed at preventing pregnancy and promoting sexual health among youth in foster care.

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]]> Employment Outcomes of Young Parents Who Age Out of Foster Care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/employment-outcomes-young-parents-who-age-out-of-foster-care/ Mon, 09 Oct 2017 11:14:39 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=272551 Journal Article Read More

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Employment outcomes of young parents who age out of foster care

Children and Youth Services Review, January 2017

 

Amy Dworsky, Elissa Gitlow

 

 

Suggested Citation
Dworsky, A., & Gitlow, E. (2017). Employment outcomes of young parents who age out of foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 72, 133-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.09.032

Conclusions
This study analyzed administrative data for 1943 recently emancipated youths who were the parent of at least one child. Only half of the parents were ever employed during the first four quarters after exit, most of those who worked were not consistently employed, and the earnings of employed parents were very low. Several demographic and placement history characteristics were associated with an increase or decrease in the odds of being employed and/or with earnings.

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]]> Child welfare services involvement among the children of young parents in foster care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/child-welfare-services-involvement-children-young-parents-foster-care/ Wed, 14 Oct 2015 16:23:08 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=274111 Journal Article Read More

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Child welfare services involvement among the children of young parents in foster care

Child Abuse & Neglect, 2015

Suggested Citation
Dworsky, A. (2015). Child welfare services involvement among the children of young parents in foster care. Child Abuse & Neglect, 45, 68–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.04.005

Conclusions
Thirty-nine percent of the children were the subject of at least one CPS investigation, 17 percent had at least one indicated report and 11 percent were placed in out of home care at least once before their 5th birthday. Cox proportional hazard models are also estimated to identify characteristics of parenting foster youth and their placement histories associated with the risk of child welfare services involvement. Implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed.

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]]> Psychosocial pathways to sexually transmitted infection risk among youth transitioning out of foster care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/psychosocial-pathways-sti-risk-youth-transitioning-out-of-foster-care/ Fri, 18 Oct 2013 09:45:29 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=276099 Journal Article Read More

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Psychosocial pathways to sexually transmitted infection risk among youth transitioning out of foster care: Evidence from a longitudinal cohort study

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2013

Kym R Ahrens, Cari McCarty, Jane Simoni, Amy Dworsky, Mark E Courtney

Suggested Citation
​Ahrens, K. R., McCarty, C., Simoni, J., Dworsky, A., & Courtney, M. E. (2013) Psychosocial pathways to sexually transmitted infection risk among youth transitioning out of foster care: Evidence from a longitudinal cohort study. J Adolesc Health, 53(4), 478-85. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.05.010 

Conclusions
Interventions/policies that (1) address externalizing trauma sequelae; (2) promote close, stable substitute caregiver relationships; and (3) extend care to age 21 years have the potential to decrease STI risk in this population.

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]]> Pathways to STI Risk for Adolescents in Foster Care https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/pathways-to-sti-risk-for-adolescents-in-foster-care/ Wed, 16 Oct 2013 13:16:32 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=275623 Journal Article Read More

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Pathways to STI Risk for Adolescents in Foster Care: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Youth Transitioning Out of Care

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2013

Kym R. Ahrens, Carolyn McCarty, Mark E. Courtney, Amy Dworsky, Jane Simoni

Suggested Citation
Ahrens, K., McCarty, C., Courtney, M., Dworsky, A., & Simoni, J. (2013). 5. Pathways to STI Risk for Adolescents in Foster Care: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Youth Transitioning Out of Care. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(2), S3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.10.011

Description
Among other health disparities, adolescents in foster care are at a disproportionately high risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared with their peers. We sought to determine overall fit and identify important pathways to STI risk for foster youth using a theoretically-driven conceptual model which included: (1) past abuse and foster care experiences, (2) mental health and relational factors in late adolescence, and (3) STI risk variables in young adulthood.

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]]> Health Insurance Coverage and Use of Family Planning Services among Current and Former Foster Youth https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/health-insurance-coverage-family-planning-services-among-foster-youth/ Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:14:48 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=275209 Journal Article Read More

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Health Insurance Coverage and Use of Family Planning Services among Current and Former Foster Youth: Implications of the Health Care Reform Law

Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 2013

Amy Dworsky, Kym Ahrens, Mark Courtney

 

 

Suggested Citation
Dworsky, A., Ahrens, K., & Courtney, M. (2013). Health Insurance Coverage and Use of Family Planning Services among Current and Former Foster Youth: Implications of the Health Care Reform Law. J Health Polit Policy Law, 38(2), 421-439. https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-1966360

Conclusions
This research uses data from a longitudinal study to examine how two provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could affect health insurance coverage among young women who have aged out of foster care. We find that young women are more likely to have health insurance if they remain in foster care until their twenty-first birthday and that having health insurance is associated with an increase in the likelihood of receiving family planning services. Our results also suggest that many young women who would otherwise lack health insurance after aging out of foster care will be eligible for Medicaid under the health care reform law. Because having health insurance is associated with use of family planning services, this increase in Medicaid eligibility may result in fewer unintended pregnancies among this high-risk population.

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]]> The risk of teenage pregnancy among transitioning foster youth https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/teen-pregnancy-among-transitioning-foster-youth/ Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:01:54 +0000 http://204.48.17.137/?post_type=project&p=276335 Journal Article Read More

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The risk of teenage pregnancy among transitioning foster youth: Implications for extending state care beyond age 18

Children and Youth Services Review, 2010

Amy Dworsky, Mark E. Courtney

Suggested Citation
Dworsky, A., & Courtney, M. E. (2010) The risk of teenage pregnancy among transitioning foster youth: Implications for extending state care beyond age 18.Children and Youth Services Review 32 (10), 1351-1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.06.002

Conclusions
Foster youth are more likely to experience teenage pregnancy than their peers in the general population but staying in care seems to mitigate their risk of becoming pregnant even after the effects of other factors are taken into account. Our findings provide additional evidence of the need for a more concerted effort by child welfare agencies to help youth in foster care avoid becoming pregnant and suggest that allowing young people to remain in foster care beyond age 18 may be one way to reduce teenage pregnancy among this population.

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