ChoiceOne Pregnancy + Sexual Health Resource Center(s) (CO) is a strategically placed nonprofit 501c3 organization that provides and connects at-risk young women who are, vulnerable to unplanned pregnancy, pregnant, or struggling mothers, with programs and resources that meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Our educational programs and crisis intervention initiatives meet the needs of thousands of families who are defenseless against poor health outcomes due to the lack of health literacy and access to health care. 

 

All of CO’s services are comprehensive, confidential, and free of charge.  We are committed to battling poor health outcomes through the education of personal health literacy and creating defined action plans that lead towards health and wellness. Our programs are easily accessible, multifaceted, and are deliberate in their intent to bridge the barriers of age, maturity, education, ethnicity, religion, and economics.  CO’s programs are thoughtfully designed with enhanced communication techniques that reflect the at-risk population in order to ensure the best possible outcomes. CO attempts to anticipate and respond to a woman’s need through in-house programs, relationships with other community service agencies, think tanks, and institutional and corporate partners.  A majority of our community partnerships are enhanced by agreements of free services for the CO clients; including our 2016 partnership with a local University, which is providing a full scholarship for a bachelor’s degree with fully paid tuition and childcare for two to five of the ChoiceOne clients.

 

We believe our services to be unique in our efforts to create personalized action plans through the process of an individual assessment of a young woman’s needs, her ability to process information, and to act on her own behalf.  Our longevity in the community provides a rare depth of service and connectivity.  Through all of our programs, connection services and partnerships, ChoiceOne remains as a loving, personal, consistent and effective advocate and trainer for each client. 

 

Our comprehensive services include (but are not limited to): Health Literacy Assessment and Training, Crisis Intervention Assessment, Pregnancy Testing, STI Screening and Treatment, STI and Unplanned Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs (Straight Talk), Individual, Family, and Relationship Counseling Services, At-Risk Mental Health Counseling Assessment, Pregnancy/Pre-Natal Information Wellness and Instruction, Infant Care Classes, Depression and Postpartum Assessment and referral for free treatment through contracted agreements, Suicide Assessment and Prevention Services, Parenting Classes, Father’s Program, and a Material Assistance Program that includes baby formula, diapers, cribs & equipment, plus maternity clothes and infant clothes up to 2T.   Our entire team is trained to act as Connection Specialists in the areas of:  Prescription Assistance Program Liaisons, Health Advocates, Vaccination and Preventive Health Referrals, and coordinators that handle referrals to other social services, housing, and medical referrals.

 

Our Mission: To provide support programs, counseling, and connective services to women who are vulnerable to unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI), pregnant and/or struggling as a parent. The centers’ programs are multifaceted so that all options of pregnancy can be explored and subsequent programs are in place for support of the individual’s choice. ChoiceOne acts as a positive change agent in the areas of health literacy, healthy human sexuality, pregnancy, and family unity; to provide women and girls, along with their partners, practical assistance and positive alternatives; as well as to provide STI screening, STI support counseling, health literacy training, sexual health responsibility training programs, bereavement counseling, parenting classes, relationship counseling, family counseling, father’s program, and connections services for GED, employment training, medical assistance, prescription drug assistance programs, health screenings, vaccination education, housing and adoption.

 

Organizational History including major accomplishments

For 38 years, ChoiceOne Pregnancy + Sexual Health Resource Center(s) (CO) has served adolescents and young adults in the area of human sexuality and unplanned pregnancy within Mercer and Burlington Counties, NJ.  Annually, on average, CO serves over 12,000 teens and young adults and to date close to 150,000. Our education programs and crisis intervention initiatives are strategically placed to meet the needs of thousands who are vulnerable to the epidemic spread of STI infections (HIV, HPV, etc.), unplanned pregnancy, and poor health outcomes like delivering premature babies due to the lack of health literacy and access to health care. 
 

Organizational Highlights:

 

1. ChoiceOne has identified and accessed the critical care needs of women and has established two counseling/mentorship programs that meet the mental health needs of women.  Traditional ChoiceOne - refers to ChoiceOne's peer-counseling programs, in which a trained peer counselor provides mentorship and support.  CO2 - is the NEW professional counseling services provided by trained and many licensed counselors who specialize in helping women successfully navigate and gain control over situational and/or long term mental health issues.

2. ChoiceOne has been a leader in sexual health issues and is the author of the commended “Let's Talk" sex-education program delivered to thousands of teenagers, in-person and virtually, within high/middle schools.

3. Established a comprehensive approach to aiding young women and men facing a STI(s) or unplanned pregnancies through a successful initiative that coordinated efforts between schools, social service agencies, local hospitals and government agencies. CO has partnered with community efforts to determine  “at risk” populations and identify and fill gaps in service.

4. Working with John’s Hopkins University, ChoiceOne has established a partnership and full scholarship to offer local medical professionals training while receiving continued medical education credits (CME) in the area of STI screening/treatment effectively trained and used a volunteer medical staff to offer free and confidential services, including STI screening/treatment (one-of-a-kind service Mercer). 

5. Working with the Jefferson Hospital Network we have established a partnership and scholarship in which six of our medical professionals have been trained in Limited Ob Ultrasound.

6. With the partnership of the local school districts, The Capital Health System, Children’s Trust, Children’s Futures, and Henry J. Austin; young adults at-risk have been identified and services have been created as stop gap measures for nutrition and housing. 

7. ChoiceOne has been effectively and efficiently connecting needed women and their families with critical services to promote healthy outcomes, within CO Connections Program.

8. ChoiceOne has added a Health Literacy Program (sponsored by the Horizon Foundation for three).  Its success has been evident by its delivery to over 23,000 women and teens since its inception with exit interview indicating positive outcomes of learning and retention of information.

9. In 2017/2018 ChoiceOne once again created an impactful and innovative partnership that helps young women/single moms overcome the odds of poverty by providing a full scholarship, that includes childcare (and for some living expenses) to obtain a bachelor’s degree.