(A) A local public or private agency or organization or combination of these agencies and organizations may apply to the county government for an allocation of funds to operate an adolescent pregnancy prevention initiative. All initiatives funded by the county government pursuant to this chapter shall emphasize premarital sexual abstinence and male responsibility. All initiatives funded by the county government pursuant to this chapter must distribute to and discuss the "South Carolina Family Respect" information pamphlet, published and provided by the office of the Governor, with each adolescent involved in their project or program. All applications must meet the following minimum standards for consideration:

(1) Each initiative must have a plan of action for prevention of adolescent pregnancy that extends for at least five years. The proposal must include convincing evidence of a direct link between project activities and the reduction of adolescent pregnancy in the target population.

(2) Each initiative must have realistic, specific, and measurable goals, objectives, timelines, and budget for the prevention of adolescent pregnancy.

(3) The proposal must include a description of the method for collecting and reporting the data required by the department to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative, as specified in Section 44-122-60. Each initiative, before submitting its proposal, must send a representative to the evaluation standards workshop sponsored by the department.

(B) Continuation of funding for a local teen pregnancy prevention initiative is contingent upon:

(1) successful evaluation of the effectiveness of the contractor's performance in achieving its short term outcomes within the first two years of receiving money and in achieving the fund's long term outcome by the end of the third year of receiving money; and

(2) the contractor updating information concerning the nature of the problem in its target population, available resources, and potential barriers to success, with appropriate changes in the initiative's goals, objectives, timeliness, and budget.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 419, Part II, Section 47A; 2001 Act No. 1, Part II, Section 5A, eff July 1, 2000; 2001 Act No. 4, Section 4, eff November 30, 2000.