Special school gives teen mothers a chance

Food and Nutrition, Summer, 1988 by Cynthia Tackett

The group recently visited McCabe to talk with the girls. "For many of the girls, their pregnancies aren't real yet, but they have to realize it is no longer just their own lives they are dealing with," says Atkinson.

"They've chosen a different road. They've chosen adulthood, and now they have to be prepared to provide for their infants. That is what the group is for-to help them see there are options available to them."

The McCabe teachers, WIC staff, YPOP outreach workers, HHC staff and former students are all working together to help these teen mothers build better futures for themselves and their children.

Are they successful? Only time will tell with each girl. McCabe students are delivering healthier babies, the majority are returning to school, and the incidence of repeat attendance is declining.

"It's all about caring," says Francesca Verda. "They know there is a place where they are cared about and not judged. It makes them want to continue."

For more information on the McCabe school, contact:

Elizabeth Celotto, Principal Polly T. McCabe Center 390 Columbus Avenue New Haven, Connecticut 06519 Telephone: (203) 787-8758

For more information on the programs at the Hill Health Center, contact:

Robert Kilpatrick Hill Health Center 400 Columbus Avenue New Haven, Connecticut 06519 Telephone: (203) 773-1134