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Act Now: Remove Homphobic and Sexist Program

on Wednesday, 02 May 2012.

 

Happy National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy! While it’s still a great opportunity to celebrate successes, reflect on lessons-learned and stay focused on making an impact, our work remains: an abstinence-only program lacking any substantive evidence made it to the list of HHS-approved programs eligible for implementation with federal funds by Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative grantees.

Heritage Keepers has been assessed at least twice in the last several years and was found to be ineffective.

Ask the Administration to remove Heritage Keepers from the list of approved programs.

Whether the data exist to support the program's effectiveness is still in question, but the egregious content of the program is crystal clear.

Sex Education Linked to Delay in First Sex

on Thursday, 08 March 2012.

 

Teens Getting Information About Both Abstinence and Contraception Have Healthier Outcomes Than Those Who Receive No Sex Education

Teens who receive formal sex education prior to their first sexual experience demonstrate a range of healthier behaviors at first intercourse than those who receive no sex education at all. This is particularly so when the instruction they receive includes information about both waiting to have sex and methods of birth control. These findings come from a new study, “Consequences of Sex Education on Teen and Young Adult Sexual Behaviors and Outcomes,” by Laura Duberstein Lindberg and Isaac Maddow-Zimet of the Guttmacher Institute.

The authors analyzed data from 4,691 men and women aged 15–24 who participated in the 2006–2008 National Survey of Family Growth. They found that 66% of sexually experienced females and 55% of sexually experienced males reported having received information about both abstinence and birth control prior to first intercourse. Eighteen percent of sexually experienced females and 21% of males had received only abstinence instruction, while 16% of females and 24% of males had had no instruction on either topic. However, these measures do not correlate directly with any specific “abstinence-only” or “comprehensive” sex education programs.

To read the full article, click here.

National Sexuality Education Standards

on Tuesday, 07 February 2012.

 

The Alliance applauded the release of the ground-breaking National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K–12 earlier this year. Developed by four leading national health organizations, these standards highlight the minimum core content for sexuality education that is developmentally and age-appropriate for students in Kindergarten through grade 12.

Check out the press release from The Alliance here.

May - Nat'l Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

on Monday, 16 April 2012.

 

Every May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month and this year, May 2nd marks the eleventh annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. On the National Day, StayTeen.org is promoting a number of online activities —including the popular National Day Quiz—that deliver teen pregnancy prevention messages and challenge young people to think carefully about what they might do “in the moment.” The message of the National Day is straightforward: Sex has consequences.

Groups across Colorado and the U.S. are participating in the National Month by hosting activities that raise awareness on the issue. If you’re interested in engaging with your community, here are a few ideas:

• Plan a Flash Mob. Nothing like a well-coordinated “Surprise!” that gets people talking about the issues!
• Start a “Did You Know” Campaign with facts about unintended teen pregnancy. Wrap it up with the benefits of education and the costs of ignorance.
• Host a Brown Bag Series featuring different aspects of teen pregnancy. Include the perspectives of teen parents, parents, faith leaders and youth activists.
• Screen a Movie that starts the conversation. This can be a great way for people to talk about the issues without making it too personal.
• Create an Earned Media Event that will get positive media attention.
• Write an Opinion Piece in your local newspaper.

If you’re planning to host an event or want some help planning, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ! We’d love to spread the word about your event or help you plan.

US Teen Pregnancy at Lowest Rate in Almost 40 Years

on Wednesday, 08 February 2012.

 

The U.S. teen pregnancy rate has declined 42% from its peak in 1990 and is now at a nearly 40-year low, according to new data from the Guttmacher Institute.  These new data track teen pregnancy through 2008.  In addition to the overall national declines, teen pregnancy has also decreased dramatically among all racial and ethnic groups. 

To read the full report, click here.

Teen Births: Solutions Embrace Cultural Nuances

on Thursday, 02 February 2012.

 

Multi-million dollar initiatives to help at-risk and parenting teens across Connecticut call for “evidence-based” and “culturally appropriate” approaches – the mantra of experts assisting Hispanic youth, who have the highest number of teen births in the state.

“There’s been a shift in federal funding toward using culturally tailored programs that have been scientifically tested to be effective in changing behaviors,” explained Carol Stone, Ph.D., an epidemiologist with the Family Health Section of the state Department of Public Health.

Read the full story here.