For Immediate Release:
March 9, 2012

Southcoast RAPPP Program relocates to new location in New Bedford

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The Southcoast Hospitals' Responsible Attitudes toward Pregnancy, Parenting & Prevention (RAPPP) Program recently relocated to a new location on Ashley Boulevard in New Bedford. RAPPP's new location provides area youth with a safe, non-judgmental environment where they can gather for information, education or to just relax.

"This new location offers many advantages over our previous office," said Cindy Guilbeault, Youth Program Coordinator for RAPPP. "It is close to the New Bedford Vocational Technical High School and the Global Charter School, plus it is near a bus stop, making it much more accessible."

The new office has gathering space for up to 40, computers with Internet access, Wi-Fi and a sitting area with a television, an Xbox with a stock of video games and a supply of snacks.

To announce the opening, a week-long open house event for students was held in February and a general open house took place on March 1.

"We have been seeing more and more young people coming in as each week goes by," said Billy Junkins, Youth Educator for RAPPP. "And we have students from some of the local high schools working on great projects."

Students from New Bedford Voc/Tech have been doing their Career Technical Cycles at the RAPPP office by creating public service announcements about quitting smoking and eating disorders.

The Southcoast RAPPP Program is an adolescent pregnancy prevention program designed to be used within the curriculum of the health or science department of high and junior high school systems. RAPPP also engages adolescents and young adults in the community through a number of outreach programs addressing youth risk behaviors.

Southcoast RAPPP has reached more than 84,000 teens and parents since its inception, including more than 50,000 teens through its in-school programs at area senior and junior high schools. Southcoast Hospitals Group — and specifically the Family Education Department at St. Luke's Hospital — developed, sponsors and administers the RAPPP Program in conjunction with school faculty and administration. All materials, models, staff support and training are free of charge to participating schools. Learn more about RAPPP at www.southcoast.org/rappp/ or call the RAPPP program office at 508-995-0306.