Program for teen parents loses federal funding

In the past year, Taylor Johnson has graduated high school, moved into her own apartment and been accepted into college.

And she’s had a baby.

The 19-year-old found out she was pregnant a month after graduating from Bozeman High School last June. Like any soon-to-be mom, she was scared and almost totally unprepared.

“It was a big shock. I didn’t really know anything,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s parents died when she was young and she lived with her adoptive parents, who were supportive, but busy with her many siblings. Johnson’s boyfriend, Kurtis Steinmetz, 22, lived in Butte and couldn’t always be there. Then, when she was nine weeks pregnant, Johnson went into ZoeCare, a local sexual and pregnancy health clinic, for an ultrasound. The care provider referred Johnson to the Partnership Project, a branch of the familial support program Thrive.

Johnson got matched with Partnership Project family support worker Stephanie Hill and suddenly, Johnson had a person who was always there for her. But other teen moms in the Gallatin Valley won’t be so lucky.

On Tuesday, Thrive found out it will lose a quarter of the Partnership Project’s funding on July 31.

Since 2010, the Partnership Project has received $88,000 from the Pregnancy Assistance Fund, a federal grant aimed at decreasing teen pregnancy. Fifty percent of this grant, established by the Obama administration, is cut in President Donald Trump’s budget plan, and Montana won’t be receiving any money from it.

“When Montana reapplied, their entire grant got axed,” Thrive grant and financial manager Sara Bradford said. The cut will be felt around the state. In addition to Thrive, eight other Montana organizations relied on this money.

The grant is administered statewide by the Healthy Montana Teen Parent Program. Its office could not be reached for comment.

Hill’s position is funded by the grant. She helps support young Gallatin Valley parents and their babies by visiting them weekly and connecting them with community resources. Johnson is lucky in that she has supportive parents, but some of Hill’s other clients, who are 15 or 16 years old, don’t have anyone else. In 2016, the Parenthood Partnership served 280 people, including parents and children. Without the grant, that number will decrease by 72.

As the birth of Johnson’s daughter Emery approached, Hill helped Johnson find and apply for housing in Belgrade. This allowed Steinmetz to move to Bozeman and them to live together as a family. Hill also helped Johnson get on Medicaid, which was paramount.

“They are just figuring out life in general and now have to as parents, too,” Hill said of Johnson and Steinmetz.

In March, Emery was born, and Johnson had tons of questions. She’d call Hill and ask how to do something or if something Emery did was normal. Hill would answer and say, yes, that is normal.

Hill connected Johnson with mental health resources to help deal with postpartum depression and a group of other teen moms in the area so Johnson wasn’t so isolated.

The Planned Partnership model has paid off. Eighty-two percent of primary caregivers who work with the organization show reduced depression and substance abuse.

Now, Emery is 4 months old and healthy. Johnson and Steinmetz’s relationship has improved by being in the same place and they are trading off caring for their baby girl. She works nights and he the mornings.

In the fall, Johnson will go to Gallatin College to study social work and Steinmetz will continue working. Hill helped Johnson apply for school and fill out the federal student aid form. Hill said Johnson is the real MVP: She’s a dedicated mother who is supremely motivated.

Johnson approached going to school the same way she approached breastfeeding. She told Hill she was interested, did research and then did it. Now, the 19-year-old is successfully breastfeeding and heading off to college.

“It really has changed my family’s life. We just really needed it,” Johnson said.

And regardless of the difficulties they have faced in the past year, Johnson’s hopes for the future and for her daughter are simple.

“I just want her to be healthy and know she is loved,” Johnson said. “We are doing really well right now and it’s mostly due to the help we’ve gotten.”

Teen mom Taylor Johnson and her daughter, 4-month-old Emery, benefit from the Partnership Project, a Bozeman program that lost a quarter of its funding under President Donald Trump's new budget.

Claire Chandler Chronicle Staff Writer

Teen mom Taylor Johnson and her daughter, 4-month-old Emery, benefit from the Partnership Project, a Bozeman program that lost a quarter of its funding under President Donald Trump's new budget.

Claire Chandler Chronicle Staff Writer

Kurtis Steinmetz, Taylor Johnson and daughter Emery pose for a family picture.

Claire Chandler Chronicle Staff Writer