Utah State University

Project Name: Adolescent and Community Empowerment (ACE)

Project Overview: Utah State University (USU) will implement the Adolescent and Community Empowerment (ACE) project, which seeks to replicate to scale evidence-based teen parenting programs (EBPs) in the geographical area known as Utah’s Wasatch Front. The project aims to deliver EBPs in three settings—behavioral health agencies, alternative educational settings, and settings with state-involved youth (i.e., juvenile justice and foster-care facilities)—targeting youth with high health disparities in teen birth and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and parent/caregivers and youth-serving professionals. ACE will use trauma-informed and positive youth development approaches, and will engage community partners and parents/caregivers in EBP replication and connect them to other community services. ACE aims to reach 4,500 participants over five years to increase awareness and utilization of EBPs and adolescent-friendly services. 

Community(ies) Served: Youth along the Wasatch Front of Utah which includes Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties. 

Target Population: Youth ages 14-19 

Geographic Area Served (Urbanicity of Community): Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties, UT (Urban)

Average Anticipated Number of Youth Served Annually: 765