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Pregnancy Support Service
Centers offer a variety of services to assist
you both during and after your pregnancy. Some of the services
provided are:
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Pregnancy
tests, pelvic exams, ultrasound, prenatal medical care. |
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Counseling,
parenting classes, adoption referral. |
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Maternity
clothes, baby items. |
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Assistance
applying for private and/or governmental programs.
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Support
Service Center fees are sometimes free but can vary between
centers.
For the Support Center closest to you call 800-395-4357.
The
Nurturing Network works with college women and young
professionals facing an unplanned pregnancy offering emotional,
material
and housing support during and after pregnancy. Call them
at 800-866-4666. |
How
do I tell my parents and my boyfriend I’m pregnant? Fearing
how others will react to the news of your pregnancy can be paralyzing,
but there are some things that can help make breaking the news
easier.
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Talking
to a friend who is supportive is a great place to start. |
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Having
someone present who isn't emotionally involved in the situation
could help everyone remain calm. |
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Approach
your most sympathetic parent first, and then let them tell
your other parent, or ask them to help you tell your other
parent. |
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Most
parents are disappointed at first, but are supportive if they
see you are accepting responsibility for yourself and
your baby. |
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Parents
and friends want to help. Talk to them! But be patient with
them. |
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If
you are uncomfortable talking to your parents, write them
a letter. You might want to hand the letter to them in person,
unless you think they might be abusive. |
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If
you fear your boyfriend will be abusive, tell him in the presence
of other people, over the phone or in a letter. |
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If
you are working and need help on breaking
the news to your boss this site will help you.
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What should I be doing to take care of myself? |
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Health
Care – Prenatal care is essential for you
and your baby. If you are currently not covered by health
insurance, there are several ways to receive medical care.
Health Clinics – Local Departments
of Health offer a variety of health services, generally
on a sliding scale. Check the white pages under the County
Government Section. Additionally, most cities, especially
large ones, have health clinics that offer medical services
on a sliding scale or for free.
Medicaid and State Children’s Health (SCHIP)
– Medicaid provides medical assistance for needy individuals
and families with low incomes and resources. Each state
determines its own eligibility standards, the type, amount,
duration, and scope of the services, the rate of payment
for services, and administers its own program. Depending
on your state requirements and your circumstances, Medicaid
could provide services like: prenatal care, physician services,
rural health clinic services, transportation services, inpatient
and out patient services, vaccines for children and more.
SCHIP Insurance Program provides health insurance for children
who’s families don’t qualify for Medicaid or
have private insurance. Learn more on your State’s
Medicaid
and SCHIP program requirements.
Infants and Children (WIC) – WIC
is a nutritional program for women, infants, and children.
The
WIC program helps eligible pregnant women and women
with infants and small children meet nutritional needs.
WIC can provide: nutrition education, nutritious foods such
as milk, cheese, and peanut butter, referrals to prenatal
and pediatric health care and referrals for other health
and human service programs. For the eight hundred number
in your state and to review your state’s guidelines
for WIC
visit this site. |
| I
am afraid of being evicted from my house, apartment or my
dorm. What are my rights to housing as a pregnant woman or
a mother raising her child? |
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Housing Options – The
Nurturing Network provides a number of services and housing
is one of them. They will support your decision to stay where
you are now living or they will assist you with moving to
a new location or town.
Public housing provides decent and safe living arrangements
for eligible low-income families. Public Housing comes in
all sizes and types. The
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
administers aid to local housing thereby bringing the rent
to a price that occupants can afford. For more information
on qualifications and how to apply visit HUD.
New Life Community – Provides short-term
housing, help landing jobs and permanent housing for young
mothers. Call Marc Nathanson at 216-751-7301
ext. 217.
The Fair Housing Act – Covers most, but not
all, housing. Fair Housing makes it illegal to discriminate
in housing-related activities due to family status, race,
national origin, gender, religion and handicap. Family status
includes women who are pregnant, people with child and people
in the process of obtaining legal custody of a child. Housing
discrimination could include:
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Refusing
to rent or sell to you. |
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Requiring
different terms and conditions for renting or selling, such
as a higher deposit or additional credit checks. |
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Requiring
that you or your family live in a certain area of the complex
or limiting the use of the facilities. |
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For more information visit the National
Fair Housing Alliance website.
Where can I get
Financial Support?
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Child
Support – Financial support is the responsibility
of both parents even if they do not have custodial rights.
To obtain child support and for information specific to
your state visit the Office
of Child Support Enforcement.
Child care – Subsidies are offered by states
to provide some or all of the finances needed for child
care. Each state determines the need, amount, duration,
and method of payment. Child
Aware will help you find a child care resource center
near you and help you determine if you qualify for a subsidy.
Blessings
of Summit and Portage Counties Inc. offers mentors, religious
support and helps pay for day care for teen mothers in
high
school. Call Pastor Bruce Chouinard at 330-678-9019.
Head Start – Early Head Start and Head
Start are programs that serve pregnant women and children
from birth to age 5. Early Head Start promotes healthy prenatal
care, enhances the development of infants and toddlers,
and develops healthy family functioning. To find a Head
Start program close to you that promotes healthy development
for children in low-income families visit this site. |
How
do I stay in school?
Young men and women are balancing books and babies and staying
in school. Colleges like Georgetown University in Washington,
D.C. and Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio have programs designed
to help pregnant and parenting students continue their education
while balancing parenthood. Check with the Office of Student
Services or your student handbook to see if your university
has such a program.
Changes to schedules can be made for personal or medical reasons.
Your Dean can assist you in modifying your schedule and offer
advice on taking a term off. If you are concerned about confidentially,
a doctor can provide documentation that does not specify the
reasons for the request for academic flexibility.
DePaul Family Center is an alternative high school in Cleveland
for pregnant and parenting teens. Call Terri Thomas 216-687-0000
ext. 11 for additional information. |
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Housing – Although policies differ at universities,
you should have the right to stay in your present campus housing
while you’re pregnant. Legally, when you are pregnant
you and your unborn baby are considered one person. If you
choose to parent your child, many colleges offer family housing
on-campus. Contact the Commuter Services Center if your university
does not provide housing for you and your baby.
Health Care – If you are not covered under
your parents medical insurance, check to see if your student
health care plan offers benefits for prenatal, delivery and
postpartum services. Prior to selecting new health care insurance
coverage verify that your benefits will cover pre-existing
conditions that include pregnancy.
Child Care – Some colleges offer on-campus
childcare to faculty, staff and students. Check your student
handbook for opportunities on your campus. Sometimes students
find it helpful to share responsibilities with other parenting
students.
Financing – Grants, scholarships, loans and
work-study programs are available to students. A Financial
Aid Administrator should be consulted before you make any
changes to your student status. Ask that all changes and agreements
be documented in writing and save all documentation that deals
with your scholarships, loans, grants or work-study.
Scholarships – Most university scholarships
are awarded for a specific number of semesters, quarters or
years, but do not require them to be consecutive. Under such
terms, you are able to take off one or multiple terms without
losing your scholarship. In some cases scholarships state
that you must maintain a full-time class schedule. Make sure
you understand the specifics of your scholarships before changing
your credit hours. Direct your questions to the Office of
Financial Aid.
Grants and Loans – Most government loans
and grants have guidelines with regard to full or part-time
status, cost of attendance and dependency status. They can
include child care. All student loans must be repaid. Most
loans have a grace period where no payments are required for
a specified length of time. Loan deferments and forbearance
of payments are granted under special circumstances, such
as economic hardship and must be applied for officially. Talk
with a Financial Aid Administrator before changing your schedule
to find out how impending changes will affect your grants
or loans. Questions can be directed to The Federal
Student Aid Information Center 800-433-3243. |
| I
Fear a lack of support
from the father? |
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Paternity
Testing – If he is denying that he is the father
of your baby, or if you’re not sure who the father is,
a paternity test can legally establish paternity. This legal
recognition of paternity is necessary for matters of child
support and custodial rights. Generally, paternity tests are
ordered through a physician or an attorney, but in most states
anyone can ask for the test. DNA paternity tests performed
by a laboratory are usually 99% accurate. DNA tests require
either blood samples or cheek cells swabbed from the child,
the alleged father and (if possible) the mother. It is not
necessary for all parties to be in the same city or state.
There are no age restrictions for paternity tests, and they
can even be performed before the baby is born. Check with
your OB/GYN about prenatal paternity testing. Look in the
yellow pages under “Paternity Testing” for a laboratory
near you. |
| I
am in an abusive situation. How can I protect myself? |
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Domestic
Violence – Can increase during a woman’s pregnancy.
Domestic violence involves fear, intimidation and power. Abuse
takes many forms: physical, emotional, sexual, psychological
and/or verbal. Unfortunately, violence often escalates if
the victim doesn't seek help when the abuse first begins.
Victims often think it’s their fault, but there’s
never an excuse for abuse. You don’t have to put up
with it. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at
800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit them at www.ndvh.org.
Communities often have hidden battered women shelters. The
police should be able to assist you in locating a shelter. |
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