Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) Funding Opportunity for a Training and Technical Assistance Provider

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Division of Public Health (DPH) announces the availability of funds for a Training and Technical Assistance provider for the Wisconsin Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). PREP is designed to provide comprehensive sexuality education to adolescents which includes both abstinence and information about contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. The program serves youth who are homeless, in foster care, live in rural areas or in geographic areas with high teen birth rates, or come from racial or ethnic minority groups. The program also supports pregnant and parenting youth. Using a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, PREP provides comprehensive, medically accurate information and replicates effective, evidence-based and evidence-informed program models that have demonstrated effectiveness in delaying sexual activity, increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth, or reducing pregnancy among youth.

DHS is requesting applications for a Training and Technical Assistance provider to support sub-recipient grantees who implement educational programming for high school-aged adolescents. The role of the training and technical assistance provider is to support statewide implementation of evidence-based programs with training and quality improvement services.

Grant funding is expressly dependent upon the availability of funds to WI DHS from the federal Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Families and Children (ACF), Administration on Children, Youth and Families’ (ACYF) Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB). Section 2953 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Public Law (Pub. L.) No. 111-148) established PREP. PREP is authorized and funded by Section 513 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 713), as amended by Section 50503 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Pub. L. No. 115-123) extended by Section 3822 of the CARES Act, 2020 (Pub. L. No. 116-136).

This is a three-year funding opportunity for the period of October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2027. Applicants will be awarded based on available funding, capacity, need, and ability to meet application criteria. The initial contract period will be from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. Renewal funding is planned for 2 additional years, contingent on funding availability, performance, and program needs and priorities. The anticipated annual award amount is $55,000.

• Application and further details are hosted on the Wisconsin Public Notice page
• Question and Answer Session : July 25, 2024, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. (Zoom)
• Applications are due August 15, 2024, 5 p.m.

Wisconsin state PREP gets funding from the Family and Youth Services Bureau. The bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Organizations that apply for funding must be able to travel in Wisconsin and may include governmental entities, such as counties, cities, schools and school districts, universities, local health or human services departments, other public entities, or 501(c)(3) organizations including but not limited to community-based organizations and faith-based organizations.
Eligible organizations must demonstrate their capacity to provide training and technical assistance services for Adolescent Health Program grantees. PREP training and technical assistance preferred qualifications:

• Prior experience working with evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, especially curricula approved for use with Wisconsin PREP implementation partners, including Making Proud Choices ; FLASH ; Positive Prevention Plus ; or, Rights, Respect and Responsibility or similar.
• Knowledge and understanding of comprehensive sexual health education and teen pregnancy prevention strategies to ensure appropriate resources and trainers are selected to meet implementation partner needs.
• Prior experience working with a myriad of organizations to engage youth voice.
• Working knowledge of best-practices, research and techniques in Positive Youth Development and Quality Improvement.
• Prior experience working with diverse teams and sub-contractors.
• Proven history of meeting contract requirements.

Eligible organizations must demonstrate their capacity to provide and coordinate strategies that advance the initiatives of this application. Eligible organizations may not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, or national origin in their staffing policies, use of volunteers, or provision of services.

PREP provides funds to support agencies, also called implementation sites. They educate young people on sexual health. Agencies include non-profits and local health departments in the southeast and northern regions of the state.

For programming, PREP agencies use high-quality, evidence-based programs. They acknowledge the unique adolescent experience, while giving them what they need to transition to adulthood. They promote positive development, healthy connections, and healthy life skills. This approach addresses the needs of thousands of Wisconsin’s most vulnerable youth.

PREP is for youth who are in high school. It focuses on marginalized youth:

• Youth in a racial or ethnic minority group
• Youth who are homeless
• Youth in foster care
• Youth who live in rural areas or places with high adolescent birth rates

Learn more about state PREP.