Mayor Sarno meets with Zenaida Smiley of ROCA Young Mothers

Mayor Sarno states, “Working with Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and Superintendent Daniel Warwick, Springfield has made tremendous strides in providing outreach, programs, education and initiatives to help lower our teen pregnancy rates, especially in our school system.  Since taking office, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, the overall teen birth rate in Springfield has declined by almost 70%.  However, more needs to be done, especially for those struggling with many health inequities.  My administration is committed to partnering with our local health institutions and organizations/agencies to not only provide educational material and outreach but to provide initiatives and programs that provide opportunities to support young mothers and their families.  I want to thank Zenaida Smiley and the team at Roca for their continued efforts in helping our community address this issue.”