GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1294

Short Title:  Teen Pregnancy Legislation.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Martin of Guilford.
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Referred to:  Human Resources.
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May 11, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO ADOLESCENT PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR ADOLESCENTS WHO TERMINATE THEIR PREGNANCIES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 3 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes is amended by adding  new sections to read:
"§ 108A-74. Adolescent pregnancy programs; purpose.
It is the intent of the General Assembly and the purpose of this Article to create within the Division of Social Services, Department of Human Resources, a system of educational and counseling services to adolescent parents and their families that will encourage  behaviors and the utilization of resources most likely to reduce subsequent adolescent pregnancies and to provide the parents and their children with the best opportunities to be productive and contributing members of society.  
For purposes of this Article, ‘minor' means an unemancipated  minor, one who is under 18, and who has not been married or has not been emancipated pursuant to Article 56 of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes, and ‘abuse' is as defined by G.S. 7A-517(1), which defines ‘abused juvenile'.
"§ 108A-74.1. Program for counselors of adolescent parents and their families and for adolescents who chose to terminate their pregnancies.
(a)	The Division of Social Services shall establish a program and curriculum designed to prepare counselors and other appropriate personnel for counseling (i) adolescent fathers and mothers and their families and (ii) adolescents who choose to terminate their pregnancies.  This counseling shall be designed to:
(1)	Positively change behavior consistent with reducing subsequent pregnancies;
(2)	Prepare the mother and father for healthy and productive life-styles;
(3)	Encourage the mother and father to maximize their education, job, and citizenship skills;
(4)	Prepare all parties for positive and healthy family interaction and communication; and
(5)	Better inform the mother and father relative to parenting skills.
(b)	The Division of Social Services may contract with public schools, with State institutions of higher education, including those of the Department of Community Colleges, with private and independent colleges and universities, and with private, nonprofit community organizations, to conduct the program and curriculum created by this section.
"§ 108A-74.2. Services and procedures for pregnant minors and their families.
(a)	The Division of Social Services and county departments of social services shall undertake appropriate measures to ensure that any provider of services, advice, or counseling to a minor related to her pregnancy shall advise and encourage her to consult with her parent, or, if she chooses not to do so, to consult with her county department of social services. Any such providers of services shall inform the pregnant minor how to contact the county department of social services, and shall offer assistance in making the initial contact.
	(b) In all cases in which a minor's pregnancy is known to the Division of Social Services or any county department of social services, the Division or department shall provide all reasonable opportunities for the pregnant minor and her parents to confer about the pregnancy and the options, shall offer assistance by its personnel, or other persons, and shall offer facilities at which the conference can occur, when appropriate.  The Division or department shall ensure that all persons, organizations, or agencies known to it or to any county department of social services to be advising any pregnant minor, consulting with her, or making services available to her relative to abortion are provided with the particulars of this Article.
"§ 108A-74.3. Education, health, and other programs for adolescent parents and children.
The Division of Social Services shall establish and administer programs and services for adolescent parents and children to provide opportunities, educational and other, to adolescent parents and children, to enable all parties involved to become productive and contributing members of society, to reduce the number of subsequent pregnancies to the same adolescent parents, and to break the cycle of poverty for many economically or socially disadvantaged youth.
	These programs shall include:
(1)	Educational opportunities for the mother and father to advance, through vocational and technical training or through a four-year institution of higher education, and assistance in encouraging and preparing them to take advantage of these opportunities.  These educational opportunities shall include payment of tuition and fees and a stipend of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per month during two years of continuous enrollment at one of the State's community colleges, and the equivalent of two years of community college tuition and fees and a stipend of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per month at one of the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina, or at one of the State's private and independent colleges and universities accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; provided that the student participates in a Division approved program of counseling, parenting, and education and citizenship education while enrolled, that enrollment is commenced within one year following receipt of a high school diploma or a GED, and that there has not been a subsequent pregnancy.  The community college shall receive tuition and fees payment from the Department upon certification of enrollment.  The four-year institution shall receive the equivalent of the two years' community college tuition and fees from the Division upon enrollment. This certification shall be done quarterly or per semester depending on the institution.  Stipends shall be paid directly to the student as long as the student's certification from the institution remains current;
(2)	Health care for the mother and her child, including prenatal care and annual physical examinations for preventive purposes; and
(3)	Child care and early childhood development that is adequate and appropriate  to enhance the chances that the child will have meaningful future opportunities.
	The Department of Human Resources shall adopt rules to administer these programs consistent with the Adolescent Parenting Program model and other models the Department considers appropriate .  Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Social Services, for these programs each fiscal year, the Division shall ensure that sufficient funds are allocated to county departments of social services to create and improve linkages between educational institutions, employers, community organizations, and counseling services, so that these parents can have adequate opportunities to develop to their full potential, and so that these county departments of social services can purchase needed services from other agencies."
Sec. 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Social Services, the sum of $450,000 for the 1989-90 fiscal year and the sum of $5,500,000 for the 1990-91 fiscal year to fund Section 1 of this act.  The funds appropriated for the 1989-90 fiscal year shall be used for planning for and for the initial implementation of this act.  Of the funds appropriated to the Division of Social Services for the 1990-91 fiscal year,  the Division shall: 
(1)	Use $3,000,000 for the programs established pursuant to G.S. 108A-74.3, as  enacted by this act; and
(2)	Allocate $2,000,000 to the county departments of social services to implement this act, according to the following formula:
a.	One-third to be allocated among the counties according to the percentage of previous adolescent pregnancies occurring within each county during the last two full years preceding the fiscal year in which the appropriation is made for which data are available;
b.	One-third to be allocated among the counties according to the percentage of low birth weight or premature births born to adolescents during the same period; 
c.	One-third to be allocated based on the counties' poverty rate as determined by the most recent United States Census Data.
Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.