The Hennepin County Teen Parent Connection was awarded a grant by the City of Minneapolis. They have contracted with Teenwise MN, who has subcontracted with Sue Fust, to work on: providing newsletters to members; keeping the web site updated; conducting a survey needed to complete the Quality Standards of Care project; increasing the number of teen parent programs in the System of Care Partnership; providing a training for professionals; and conducting a large meeting ‘rally’ for all members. In partnership with Northwest Teen Parent Connection (NWTPC), the HCTPC is excited to announce that we are excited to announce that we have started a housing imitative for teen parents in Hennepin County. Be sure to check out our partner spot light which includes Metropolitan State University (MSU), University of Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Health, Jeremiah Program, St. Catherine University and, Minneapolis and Technical College (MCTC).

1. SAVE THE DATE!!!
Hennepin County Teen
Parent Connection
Supporting teen mothers, fathers and their children in Hennepin County
Next HCTPC meeting
January 26, 2014
2 to 4 pm
Lutheran Social Services
2400 Park Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN
The HCTPC Steering
Committee will discuss how the
group will work toward
achieving our strategic plan.
Would you like to present your
program? Let us know!
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5
The Hennepin County Teen Parent
Connection is a collaborative
consisting of professionals working
with teen mothers and fathers and
their children. Its goal is to develop
and implement a comprehensive
coordinated system of evidence-based
best practices care for all pregnant and
parenting teens and their children in
Hennepin County.
Thank You to the City of Minneapolis!
The HCTPC has been operating without funds for the past year. Thanks
to the city of Minneapolis, we now have some funding to continue our
projects. They have contracted with Teenwise MN, who has sub-
contracted with Sue Fust, to work on: providing newsletters to members;
keeping the web site updated; conducting a survey needed to complete the
Quality Standards of Care project; increasing the number of teen parent
programs in the System of Care Partnership; providing a training for
professionals; and conducting a large meeting ‘rally’ for all members.
‘Quality Standards’ Self-Rating Coming Soon
We are looking for some volunteers to test out the Quality
Standards of Care self-rating for programs. This instrument will be used
for all programs serving pregnant and parenting teens and their children in
the future, enabling us to provide the best referrals possible for our clients/
students/patients. Please contact henepintpc@gmail.com if you are
willing to test out this survey. Ideally we’d like at least 1 program from
each ‘best practices’ area to take the survey. In the next couple of months,
we will ask all members of the HCTPC to complete the survey.
New Housing Initiative for HCTPC!!!
The HCTPC has joined with the NW Teen Parent Connection
(NWTPC) to work on developing housing for teen parents. There is
currently no supportive housing for teen parents in Hennepin County and
this gap in services has attracted the interest of 2 nonprofit housing
developers, Beacon and Aeon. Meetings have taken place with members of
the NWTPC and HCTPC and the 2 developers. The HCTPC is
assembling a list of people interested in getting communications about the
project. If you are interested in being on this list, please click here and
commit to helping get this project underway by spreading the word. Please
start with your own agencies and families and places of worship!

2. 2
HENNEPIN COUNTY TEEN PARENT CONNECTION JANUARY 2015
Partner Spotlight:
The Student Parent Center (SPC) at Metro State
University, located on the St. Paul campus, provides
support and resources for students who are
parenting while attending school. Weekly support
groups, family fun events and emergency funds are
available. Tours of the campus and SPC can be
arranged. Student parents from the SPC are also
available to speak to teen parents at their schools.
Professionals may contact: sue.fust@metrostate.edu
Partner Spotlight:
The Access and Success program at St. Kate’s a
unique program created to support students, raising
children, to be successful in all facets of their lives.
The program is open to any student with a
child(ren), regardless of income, age of child or
degree level. Access and Success has offices on both
campuses with caring, skilled staff who connect
students to the support and resources they need to
meet their academic goals. St. Kate’s Mother to
Mother program connects with teen parents at their
schools and can also bring them to the St. Kate’s
campus. Professionals may contact: Joan Demeules
jmdemeules@stkate.edu
Partner Spotlight:
MCTC’s Student Support Center is a supportive
services suite on campus for students in need. It
includes a food pantry, transportation assistance,
energy and housing assistance and support staff.
Health care and mental health services are also
offered free of charge for MCTC students. For more
information on services available at MCTC, contact
maya.sullivan@minneapolis.edu
Partner Spotlight:
MN Department of Health
In 2011, the Minnesota Department of Health was granted
funds from the federal Office of Adolescent Health to
provide funding for 9 colleges and universities in the state
to offer services for student parents. Goals are to help
young college student parents accomplish higher education
goals and to maintain positive health and well-being for
themselves and their children. MN higher ed grantees that
have established student parent programs are: Metro State
Univ, Century College, St. Kate’s, Winona State Univ, St.
Cloud State Univ, Fond du Lac Tribal & Com College,
Riverland Com College, Pine City Tech, Leech Lake
Tribal College. For more information, professionals may
contact Elizabeth.gardner@state.mn.us
Partner Spotlight:
The Jeremiah Program offers supportive residential
services and programming for single mothers accepted to
or enrolled in college to earn a degree. In order to qualify,
students must be at least 18, have a HS diploma or GED,
be a single mother who has lived in Minnesota for at least
2 years, and have a social security number. Before being
accepted, participants must complete a 16-week class.
While living in the Jeremiah housing, students meet
regularly with a life skills coach. Tutors are also available.
Child care is offered on site (Parent Aware rating 4). Rent
is 30% of the student’s income. Professionals may direct
questions to Missy Carr mcarr@jeremiahprogram.org
Partner Spotlight: University of Minnesota
Since 1984, the Student Parent HELP Center
(SPHC) at the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis’
campus has offered programs and services that are
designed to promote access, retention, and academic
success for University of Minnesota undergraduate
students who have children. The HELP Center offers
various academic and family support services and
programming to student parents registered in any
undergraduate college on the Twin Cities campus. Staffed
by social workers, the Center offers a space to study and a
computer room. A support group meets weekly. Every
year, the SPHC offers an opportunity for teen parents to
come to campus. For more information, contact Melanie
Soland opayx002@umn.edu
New MFIP Education Rules!
Effective July 1, 2014, Minnesota policies now
allow parents to participate in education in ways
that the federal government will not recognize.
These new policies allow young parents to attend
4 years of college while continuing MFIP benefits.

3. 3
HENNEPIN COUNTY TEEN PARENT CONNECTION JANUARY 2015
Present: Amy
Hess,
MyHealth;
Ana
Schmidt,
Hennepin
County
Child
&
Teen
Check-­‐ups;
Ashley
Eichelberger,
Way
to
Grow;
Barry
Nienstadt,
Hennepin
County;
Brianna
Belanger,
Hennepin
County
Library;
Carmen
Leal,
Catholic
Charities;
Caroline
Schultz,
Minneapolis
Public
Schools;
Chancee
Rudolph,
Youthlink;
Christine
Hart,
CAPSH;
Dega
Adan,
Southside
Community
Health
Services;
Elizabeth
Gardner,
MN
Dept
of
Health;
Ellen
Klahn,
Jeremiah
Program;
Farrell
Farr,
Lutheran
Social
Services;
Jennifer
Meade,
First
Care
Pregnancy
Center;
Jenny
Geris,
Greater
Minneapolis
Crisis
Nursery;
Jo
Behm,
FamilyWise;
Joan
Demeules,
St.
Catherine's University;
Jude
Schaaf,
Minneapolis
Public
Schools;
Julie
Koritz,
The
Link;
Kirsten
Johnson
Nixon,
Minneapolis
Public
Schools;
Laura
Knutson,
Minneapolis
Public
Schools;
Lisa
Brown,
Hennepin
County
HSPHD;
Maya
Sullivan,
MCTC;
McKenna
Belgarde,
CLUES;
Melanie
Soland,
U
of
M
Student
Parent
Center;
Missy
Carr,
Jeremiah
Program;
Molly
Obrien,
City
of
Minneapolis;
Nicki
Murphy,
Robbinsdale
Area
Schools
ECFE
&
HUG;
Ronel
Robinson,
Way
to
Grow;
Stephanie
Dibb,
Greater
Minneapolis
Crisis
Nursery;
Sue
Fust,
Metro
State
Student
Parent
Center;
Susan
Warfield,
U
of
M
Student
Parent
Center;
Zach
Tift,
Catholic
Charities
HCTPC Meeting Notes
December 8, 2014
The meeting began with introductions all around.
Representatives from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Community and Technical College
(MCTC), St. Catherine’s University (St. Kate’s) and Metropolitan State University discussed supports provided to
students on their campuses that are aimed to increase retention, especially for students with children. The
Jeremiah Program also presented information about its services for mothers attending college.[See Partner
Spotlights on page 2].
Barry Nienstadt presented a report on the Under 20 Advisory Committee. MVNA gave a report on their
work with teen parents. The committee asked for a proposal for funding for HCTPC in 2015.
Christine Hart from Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin, a new member of the
HCTPC steering committee, presented information on a new housing initiative the HCTPC has asked her to
head. HCTPC has joined with the efforts of the NW Teen Parent Connection (NWTPC) to work on developing
housing for teen parents in the county Meetings have occurred already with members of the NWTPC and
HCTPC and 2 developers to ascertain interest on their part in providing some housing for teen parents in
Hennepin County. Because there is currently no supportive housing for teen parents under age 18 in the county,
this gap in services appeared to be of interest to the nonprofit housing developers (Beacon and Aeon). The
HCTPC steering committee has set a few guidelines for the development (but these are flexible depending on
opportunities that may present themselves): 30-40 units of stable supportive housing with case management and
an on-site child care, near a school and busline, in or near areas of highest teen pregnancy rates (Brooklyn Center,
Brooklyn Park, north Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, New Hope). Zach Tift from Catholic Charities is also working
on housing for teen parent couples.
Meeting the Unique Needs of Adolescent Mothers and Fathers:
Training for Professionals on March 23, 2015
Instead of its regular meeting on March 23, HCTPC will be offering a 6 hour training for those working
with teen parents given by Sue Fust, a developmental psychologist and Metro State University professor,
who formerly provided this training through Teenwise MN. Adolescent development will be discussed
as it relates to parenting and practical tips will be offered for work with teen parents. CEUs will be
available. There will be a charge for refreshments and lunch, but otherwise the training will be free of
charge. Location and exact times are TBD. To reserve a spot, please contact hennepintpc@gmail.com
Tip from Higher Ed Professionals: Inform your college-bound students that
planning is important. Financial Aid does run out. Don’t get caught short!

4. STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Jonette Lucia
Laura Knutson
Lisa Brown
Barry Nienstadt
Sue Fust
Caroline Schultz
Christine Hart
REMINDER:
Next Steering Committee meeting:
January 27 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Hosmer Library
hennepintpc@gmail.com
www.hennepintpc.org