In Fiscal Year 2026, the Primary Care Coalition (PCC) has been working with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to expand access to reproductive health services for youth enrolled in Care for Kids. PCC is pleased to report those services are now covered by CFK at two partner health centers—a major milestone toward support for uninsured youth to make informed choices about their reproductive lives.
Unintended pregnancy impacts youth achievement and mental wellbeing
Having a baby as an adolescent can be disruptive to young women’s education. One study found that at age 22, almost 40% fewer teen mothers had completed a high school degree than their non-parenting peers (Perper, Peterson, Manlove, 2010). In Montgomery County, about a third of young mothers stop attending high school (Metcalf, 2016). Adolescent mothers are also likely to experience pre-eclampsia, which is known to reduce oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus and cause preterm births, low-weight births, and require neonatal intensive care (Parra-Pingel et al, 2017; Brosens et al., 2018; Hoffman and Maynard, 2008). Once the baby is born, young mothers are more likely to experience postpartum depression than mothers who delayed childbirth (McCracken and Loveless, 2014).
Fatherhood is also stressful on young men. Despite limited research in this area, several qualitative studies illustrate that young fathers experience depression, social isolation and anguish over how they are going to complete school or find employment (Park and Neville, 1987). Other quantitative studies show that young fathers are 20% less likely to obtain their high school diploma (Fletcher and Wolfe, 2012).
Data suggest CFK teens are at higher risk
The CFK program, administered by PCC with core funding from DHHS, provided access to health care for more than 10,000 uninsured children and adolescents in FY25, with more than 40% of participants aged 13-19. Adding reproductive health services is critical because being uninsured increases teen pregnancy odds by an estimated 74% (Miller, Graefe, Jong, 2013). Ethnicity is a key factor as well. Birth rates in Montgomery County among teens who are Latina are twice as high relative to their peers who are White or Black/African American (Metcalf, 2016), and more than 80% of CFK patients identify as Latino/a.
New offerings preview further service design
Pediatricians play a key role in preventing unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and advocating for healthy relationships (Marcel et al., 2017). To balance meeting immediate needs and designing comprehensive services, PCC and DHHS agreed on a phased approach. Phase 1 would focus on quick availability of reproductive health services at partner sites with existing capacity—providing a reimbursement mechanism when CFK participants need these services. We have reached that milestone, with services reimbursable at two participating health center organizations: CCI Health & Wellness and Mary’s Center. Phase 2, now underway, will explore preferences, provider capacity, the policy landscape, and service best practices around which to design CFK service solutions. The end goal is to make respectful, patient-centered reproductive health services accessible across the CFK network.
This article has not been reviewed or approved by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.
Unintended pregnancy impacts youth achievement and mental wellbeing
Having a baby as an adolescent can be disruptive to young women’s education. One study found that at age 22, almost 40% fewer teen mothers had completed a high school degree than their non-parenting peers (Perper, Peterson, Manlove, 2010). In Montgomery County, about a third of young mothers stop attending high school (Metcalf, 2016). Adolescent mothers are also likely to experience pre-eclampsia, which is known to reduce oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus and cause preterm births, low-weight births, and require neonatal intensive care (Parra-Pingel et al, 2017; Brosens et al., 2018; Hoffman and Maynard, 2008). Once the baby is born, young mothers are more likely to experience postpartum depression than mothers who delayed childbirth (McCracken and Loveless, 2014).
Fatherhood is also stressful on young men. Despite limited research in this area, several qualitative studies illustrate that young fathers experience depression, social isolation and anguish over how they are going to complete school or find employment (Park and Neville, 1987). Other quantitative studies show that young fathers are 20% less likely to obtain their high school diploma (Fletcher and Wolfe, 2012).
Data suggest CFK teens are at higher risk
The CFK program, administered by PCC with core funding from DHHS, provided access to health care for more than 10,000 uninsured children and adolescents in FY25, with more than 40% of participants aged 13-19. Adding reproductive health services is critical because being uninsured increases teen pregnancy odds by an estimated 74% (Miller, Graefe, Jong, 2013). Ethnicity is a key factor as well. Birth rates in Montgomery County among teens who are Latina are twice as high relative to their peers who are White or Black/African American (Metcalf, 2016), and more than 80% of CFK patients identify as Latino/a.
New offerings preview further service design
Pediatricians play a key role in preventing unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and advocating for healthy relationships (Marcel et al., 2017). To balance meeting immediate needs and designing comprehensive services, PCC and DHHS agreed on a phased approach. Phase 1 would focus on quick availability of reproductive health services at partner sites with existing capacity—providing a reimbursement mechanism when CFK participants need these services. We have reached that milestone, with services reimbursable at two participating health center organizations: CCI Health & Wellness and Mary’s Center. Phase 2, now underway, will explore preferences, provider capacity, the policy landscape, and service best practices around which to design CFK service solutions. The end goal is to make respectful, patient-centered reproductive health services accessible across the CFK network.
This article has not been reviewed or approved by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.
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