About Prevention Research Centers
PRCs work with local communities to develop, evaluate, disseminate, and apply evidence-based solutions to public health problems. Each PRC is funded for 5 years to maintain a research center and conduct prevention research that promotes health and prevents chronic illness and other diseases and disabilities.
History
The University of Minnesota’s Healthy Youth Development - Prevention Research Center – initially named the National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Research Center – has been improving young people’s health through evidence-based programs since 1996.
Community-partnered research
During each 5-year grant cycle, we conduct a major community-partnered research project. Our settings range from community programs, health clinics, and middle schools. Projects have evaluated case management, peer education, and service learning programs.
![Talk Logo](/sites/prc.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/2024-01/talk-logo-F_JB%20copy.jpg?itok=vRU5TUtA)
Our current core research project supports rural primary care clinics and clinicians in providing high-quality adolescent preventive care related to psychosocial and sexual health. The resulting clinic-level program, called TALK: Toolkit for Adolescent Care, includes training and tools for pediatricians is available through the American Association of Pediatric’s Project ECHO telementoring training and through our HYD-PRC trainings. It builds on a previous CDC-funded special interest research project, the Confidential Adolescent Sexual Health Services study.
Community-engaged application
We also serve as technical advisors and consultants to community organizations and governmental systems:
- Evaluation – We bring deep expertise to our work with our community partners to evaluate a wide range of projects, yielding concrete evaluation data and actionable insights to improve programs.
- Training – Our skilled staff collaborate with diverse communities and systems partners to tailor a wide range of trainings for any youth-serving audience.
- Tools – We develop hands-on applications that help practitioners, public health professionals, and educators engage youth and their communities in advocating for their health.