Prevent Child Abuse Iowa

Connections matter is an evidence based prevention response training curriculum and public awareness resource bank designed to develop resilience and social supports in adults and children through meaningful, trusting, and caring relationships. The program is founded in research connecting adverse childhood experiences to a child's brain development, behavior, and health outcomes later in life. The project has been disseminated throughout sectors in iowa including human services, faith, education and business. The program is gaining interest from other organizations nationally including the friends network, the u.s. Department of health and human services, and the member affiliates of prevent child abuse america. The program has also gained international interest with conversations with australia. Prevent child abuse obtained a copyright for connections matter, a program also trademarked by prevent child abuse iowa.

The community adolescent pregnancy prevention program (capp) collaborates with community agencies, schools, churches, businesses, youth, and families to provide medically accurate and age-appropriate programming for sexual health and responsible decision-making among iowa youth. The centerpiece of capp is an evidence-based pregnancy prevention curriculum taught through public middle and/or high schools, or a youth-serving organization. The curriculum shows positive changes in teen sexual behaviors.