Young Parents Program | Overview
At Boston Children’s Hospital, we understand that becoming a parent is full of challenges, even in the best circumstances. Those challenges are even greater for teen parents. Our Young Parents Program (YPP) is a special clinic dedicated to working with teen mothers and fathers from low-income and/or at-risk environments. Started in 1980, we have over three decades of experience in serving teen-led families.
The YPP consists of physicians, social workers, nurses, and nurse practitioners who have years of experience working with parents, adolescents, and children. We understand the medical, social, and developmental issues of adolescence and early childhood.
The YPP also:
- Provides primary medical care (including health screening and immunizations), counseling and health education to teen parents and their children
- Teaches positive parenting skills, attitudes, and behaviors
- Encourages teen parents to make proactive, smart decisions as they become adults
- Makes sure teen parents’ children are exposed to healthy development and growth through the critical first years
- Helps young parents find housing and complete school
- Creates healthy social activities and programs to bring teen parents together
Who we serve
We work with teen mothers and fathers from low-income and at-risk environments who have the highest rates of pregnancies, and the greatest risk of poor birth outcomes.
Our vision
The vision of the Young Parents Program is that all families will have comprehensive and compassionate health care that empowers, educates, and supports families toward a successful future.
Our mission
The mission of the Young Parents Program is to provide a family-centered, medical home with excellent primary care, behavioral health, case management, and parenting resources to teen parents and their children. We are committed to creating a non-judgmental, supportive community where families can access innovative, evidence-based, flexible care. Our goal is to empower parents to make healthy, informed choices for themselves and their children as they transition into adulthood.
Meet our team
Our team includes physicians, social workers, and a nurse and nurse practitioner who have an average of 15 years experience working with urban parents, adolescents, and children. We are knowledgeable in the medical, social, and developmental issues of adolescence and early childhood. Several of our team members teach teen-parenting training sessions throughout the region.
Read more about Kathleen Conroy, MD, MSc
Clinical Chief, Children's Hospital Primary Care Center (CHPCC)
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Read more about Joanne Cox, MD
Associate Chief, Division of General Pediatrics; Chief of Primary Care
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Read more about Eileen Roberta, MSW, LICSW
Clinical Social Worker, Young Parents Program (YPP), Children's Hospital Primary Care Center (CHPCC)
Read more about Ruth Economou, MSW, LICSW
Clinical Social Worker, Children's Hospital Primary Care Center (CHPCC)
Frequently asked questions
YPP, a specialty clinic within Children's Hospital Primary Care Center, was launched in 1980 to provide comprehensive medical care, mental health services and advocacy to high risk, inner-city teen parents and their young children through a teen-tot model.
YPP serves young families with a multi-disciplinary team knowledgeable in the medical, social and developmental issues of adolescence and early childhood. Boston Children's will provide a medical home base with coordinated, continuous health care services, psychosocial support, parenting/life skills groups and individual services for teen mothers and fathers.
Please contact us at 617-355-7718 to talk with a YPP staff member about your patient.
Yes, the Young Parents Program is covered by most insurance providers - this includes Medicaid (MassHealth).
Your patient is eligible to enroll in YPP if they are willing to have YPP as their primary care provider for their family. Mothers must be 10 years or younger at the time of enrollment. There are no income or geographical boundaries.
Our parents are in their teens and early 20s, with the average age being 17. Teen mothers can be 19 and younger at the birth of their child.
Our children's ages range from newborns to about 5 years old.
Yes, YPP is for mothers and fathers, as long as their child receives medical care in YPP. While we have a higher number of mothers in the program, we also have fathers who have joined the program and have benefited greatly from our services.
Yes, as long as the mother was 19 years or younger upon the birth of the child.
Yes, they will have the opportunity to meet other young parents in YPP. They will be able to talk and socialize with other young parents who are going through similar situations.
Please view our Young parents Program Brochure or contact us at 617-355-7718 to learn more about YPP.
Make a gift
The young Parents Program (YPP) at Boston Children's Hospital is funded jointly by grants, private and corporate donations, contracts and contributions from our partners.
Our program relies on the kind donations of people and groups interested in supporting our work. We are grateful for our contributors' support.
Donate to our program
Many people ask what they can do to help the Young Parents Program (YPP). One important action you can take today is making a gift. Your donation helps our parents get housing, complete school, attend parenting groups, engage in healthy social activities, and receive routine health care and counseling for themselves and their children.
Every gift, no matter the size, plays a vital role in raising healthy children. When you make a gift, you will receive a gift acknowledgement for tax purposes. Your gift is tax deductible to the extent provided by law. To make your gift online, please click here: Give
For more information about giving, please contact:
Children's Hospital Trust
1 Autumn St., #731
Boston, MA 02215-5301
617-355-6890