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Upcoming Workshops
Time: 9:00am - 4:30 pm
Date: June 16, 2009
Embassy Suites Airport Convention Center
Charleston, SC
Overview: Partners on the PSBA-GTO project are invited to attend a one-day Summer Institute pre-conference. Based on shared needs of participants, this workshop is sure to provide you with timely information and valuable skills to take back to your agency, all while having a great time.
For more registration information please contact Bernetta Copper at (803) 771-7700.
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President Obama's Budget Calls for a New Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative
Earlier this week President Obama released his budget for fiscal year 2010. True to his word, the budget includes a total of 178 million in funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs aimed at addressing high teen pregnancy rates. According to the budget, "funds will support State, Tribal, Territory, and community-based efforts to reduce teen pregnancy using evidence-based models as well as promising programs that require further evaluation." In addition, funding for the Centers for Disease Control, which has funded the SC Campaign since 2002, will also be increased.
Building on the Obama-Biden Administration's commitment to evidence-based programs, the budget does not include further funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage education. After spending more than 1.5 billion federal dollars on these interventions over that last decade, there is still no evidence that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs are effective in delaying teen sexual activity and preventing teen pregnancy.
"The release of the President's budget is a monumental day for teen pregnancy prevention. It is clear the current administration understands the need to invest in young people. It is especially encouraging that the language included in the budget references themes that the SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy has been emphasizing for years-themes like commitment, investment, community-based approaches, and evidence-based practice.
Rising teen pregnancy rates combined with a troubled economy make the need to invest in evidence based strategies paramount. It is also commendable that the budget includes dedicated funds to explore new, innovative, research-focused strategies to prevent teen pregnancy. We must all remain committed to research-both using what has previously shown to be effective and a willingness to rigorously evaluate that which is still to be created.
It must also continually be emphasized that this encouraging sign at the federal level does not diminish the important and immediate role that parents, faith leaders, and schools play in addressing this complex issue. To this end, the capacity building efforts of the South Carolina Campaign become even more important as our work continues in communities and with organizations across the state to ensure they are positioned to increase their own investment in teen pregnancy prevention."
Click here for more information on the budget.
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10th Annual Summer Institute Update: Important Information
Scholarships still available!
The deadline is approaching, but the SC Campaign still has a few scholarships available. MAPPS-only lodging scholarships are still available, so submit your applications today and bring a few more staff! There are also some general scholarships that cover registration, lodging or both.
Download scholarship applications here.
Room Block Expiring Soon - Reserve Your Hotel Accommodations Today!
We have arranged a block of rooms for Summer Institute at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Convention Center, which features a full, cooked to order breakfast each morning and a Manager's Reception each evening.
To get the special $149/night rate for single/double occupancy, call 1-800-EMBASSY or the hotel directly at (843) 747-1882 to reserve your room before May 16, 2009.
Continuing Education Hours Available!
The Campaign is pleased to announce that the following Continuing Education Hours will be available at the Summer Institute this year:
- MAPPS: Up to 14.5 hours
- CHES Category 1 CECH: Up to 14.5 hours
- Social Work: Up to 14.5 hours
- Licensed Counselors: Up to 14.5 hours
Applications for the following are pending and the number of CEU's will be announced upon approval:
- Nursing
- Prevention Specialists
Note: The hours noted indicate the maximum amount a participant can earn. Hours actually earned will vary slightly depending upon the combination of workshops each person attends. If you have questions or need additional information about CEU's, please contact Bernetta Cooper at bcooper@teenpregnancysc.org.
We look forward to seeing you in Charleston!
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The Buzz: Bristol Palin becomes National Spokeswoman for Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy
Campaigning against teen pregnancy on the TODAY show Wednesday, May 6, Bristol Palin, 18-year-old daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, told Matt Lauer that a baby "is not just an accessory on your hip. This is hard work." But she called her 4-month-old son Tripp "not a mistake at all. He's a blessing."
Bristol, her baby, and her father, Todd Palin, were visiting the TODAY show to promote the Eighth Annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The event is sponsored by the Candie's Foundation, for which Bristol has signed on as a national spokeswoman in the battle to fight teen pregnancy in the United States.
Watch the interview. |
SC Campaign Executive Director Featured on National Audio Conference
To honor National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day (May 6), RH Reality Check hosted an audio press conference with four experts and advocates on teen pregnancy prevention and comprehensive sex education programs. Our Executive Director, Forrest L. Alton, was one of the experts featured on that press call. The show featured a range of experts and advocates including Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy; Jane Fonda, activist and founder of the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention; Lori Casillas, Executive Director of the Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention (COAPPP); and Shelby Knox, advocate and author, and the subject of the film The Education of Shelby Knox.
RH Reality Check also promoted two new videos on this issue by the award-winning firm of Stuart Productions.
Click here to listen to the media conference. |
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day  May 18 is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. Despite much research, there still is not a vaccine for HIV/AIDS. All Americans, especially communities of color and men who have sex with men, need to learn more about HIV vaccine research in order to make an HIV vaccine a reality.
This awareness day provides a great opportunity to thank the thousands of people who are working to help find an HIV preventive vaccine-the clinical trial volunteers, health professionals, community members, and the researchers.
To find an HIV testing center near you, send a text message with your zip code to KNOWIT (566948).
Related Healthy Teen Network Materials.
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Sex Etc. Launches New Video About STI Myths
Can you get an STD from a public toilet seat or by sharing cups? Sex, Etc. editors talk to teens about the myths they've heard about STDs. You might be surprised to hear what some people believe!Watch the video! |
Healthy Teen Network Releases Young Families Policy Platform
Healthy Teen Network has recently released A Policy Platform to Promote Health and Success among Young Families, a set of federal policy recommendations aimed at establishing or reforming programs and systems that influence whether or not young families may achieve health and success after a teen birth.
The report offers recommendations in the areas of health and human services, housing, education, workforce and life skills development, child welfare and development, income security, and knowledge development and transfer. Click here for more information. |
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Report Finds Educational Economic Achievement Gaps Correlated
According to two new independently released reports, achievement and high school graduation gaps may be costing the United States trillions of dollars in unrealized gross domestic product and are threatening its ability to compete in the twenty-first century global economy.
Click here to read the reports. |
When the Cellphone Teaches Sex Ed
New York Times - A young girl types: "If my BF doesn't like me to be loud during sex but I can't help it, what am I supposed to do?"
Within 24 hours, each will receive a cautious, nonjudgmental reply, texted directly to their cellphones, from a nameless, faceless adult at the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina, based in Durham. The Birds and Bees Text Line, which the center started Feb. 1, directing its MySpace ads and fliers at North Carolinians ages 14 to 19, is among the latest efforts by health educators to reach teenagers through technology - sex ed on their turf. Read full article. |
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Research Corner
Youth Benefit from Strong Families Regardless of Income
A new Child Trends brief (PDF), Exploring the Links Between Family Strengths and Adolescent Outcomes, finds that family strengths are associated with significantly better outcomes for adolescents in both lower-income and higher-income families. Family strengths include emotional/subjective strengths (such as close and caring parents); behavioral/concrete strengths (for example, parental monitoring and parent involvement); and passive parenting strengths (for instance, positive parental role modeling).
Click here to read the brief.
Teen Pregnancy Associated with Childhood Sexual Abuse
According to a Canadian study published in Child Abuse and Neglect, male and female adolescents who experienced emotional abuse (i.e. demeaning and hurtful verbal attacks) as children were more likely to be involved in violent dating relationships. Recommendations for practitioners who work with young people are included.
Click here for more information.
Relationship between Drug Use and STD's In Juvenile Arrestees
A study of male and female juvenile offenders who had been arrested indicates that those who engaged in behaviors associated with risk for STD/HIV were more likely than lower risk offenders to have an STD, test positive for marijuana and cocaine, and to be charged with a serious offense. Prevention and intervention implications of these findings are discussed.
Click here for more information. |
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Workshops and Events
APPCNC Annual Conference
Join the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina for their annual conference on May 20 in Greensboro, NC. Keynote speakers include Dr. David Walsh, founder of the National Institute on Media and the Family, and Dr. Elizabeth Schroeder, Executive Director of Answer at Rutgers.
Click here for more information.
Growing Up with Your Growing Child: Older Teens Need You the Most
They grow up so fast, but are you ready? Most children will be out of the house and off to college after high school but that is when they need parental guidance the most. Two-thirds of the state's teenage pregnancies are to teens 18-19 years old. These older teens are fresh from high school and new to adulthood. With no parents to regulate their social calendars, it is easy to fall into life's many traps. This workshop will give parents valuable information to grow with their growing children.
Date: May 27, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Palmetto Health Richland, 9 Medical Park
Classroom 130
Call (803) 296-CARE to register.
Classy L.A.D.Y. Workshops
Classy L.A.D.Y. is a sexual health and empowerment program for young women (ages 18-22) sponsored by the Leadership Institute of Columbia College and Clear Vision Seminars & Consulting. They explore topics like healthy relationships, pregnancy, contraception, communication, and goal setting. Ladies are also given the opportunity to relate and discuss issues specific to women in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Weekly sessions are flexible and food is always provided.
For more information contact Schrendria Robinson at (803) 333-0590.
Understanding Infant Adoption
This training is for federally funded health clinic staff and individuals who provide pregnancy information and referrals to women and teens. Also, this training is a mandatory federal grant requirement for all Title X Family Planning personnel who have not previously attended the training.
Cost: Free
Date: June 18
Location: Hampton Inn and Suites
Florence, SC 29501
Click here for more information.
Cuidate!Cuidate! is a Latino-focused, science-based teen pregnancy/HIV prevention curricula sponsored by Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina. APPNC will be holding a training in this curricula July 13-15, 2009 at their Durham training site. The cost of the training is $400.00 and includes the curricula and DVD's. Registration closes July 6, 2009.Click here to register. |
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In the News
Obama Budget Cuts Funds for Abstinence-Only Sex EducationUSA Today - President Obama's new budget would eliminate most money for abstinence-only sex education and shift it to teen pregnancy prevention - a U-turn in what has been more than a decade of sex education policy in the USA. The proposed budget, sent to Congress last Thursday, "reflects the research," says Melody Barnes, director of the team that coordinates White House domestic policy. Click here for full story. National Day to Prevent Teen PregnancyWRDW - Learn the facts before you act. It's a message Mary Stacy wants all teenagers to hear. "We live in, like I said, a sex-saturated world. It's all around us, whether it's on TV, in our children's music, on billboards, in magazines, it's all around us," Mary Stacy said. Mary is the Youth Development Coordinator for the Richmond County Health Department and says being ranked 8th in the nation for highest teen birth rate is nothing to be proud of. Click here to watch video Bristol Palin on Teen PregnancyLA Times - It was almost as if Bristol Palin, the 19-year-old daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was showing her mom how to make a serious entry onto the national stage. No fireworks, no red-meat rhetoric to fire up the true believers. Click here for full story. Martinsville to Put Teen Clinic in High SchoolWSLS - "This is not an issue of right and wrong. It's an issue of addressing a major problem in our community," said Superintendent Scott Kizner. Martinsville High School is making plans to put a teen health clinic in the school. Teens will be able to come to the clinic for first aid or to get contraceptives, pregnancy testing, or STD testing. Click here to watch video. |
Grants Available
Best Buy Children's Foundation: Community Grants Program
The Best Buy Children's Foundation strengthens communities through the support of national, regional, and local grantmaking programs. The Foundation's Community Grants Program, led by employee committees in each of the company's eight territories across the United States, provides support to local nonprofit organizations that work to build social, academic, leadership, and/or life skills in early adolescents (primarily ages 13-18). Grant amounts average $5,000 to $7,000, and do not exceed $10,000. Eligible organizations must be located within 50 miles of a Best Buy store or distribution center.
Deadline:Requests may be submitted between May 15 and June 15, 2009.
Click here for more information.
Target Grants
The Target Local Store Grants support nonprofit organizations in the communities where the company's stores are located. Arts grants support programs that bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for families to participate in cultural experiences. Family Violence Prevention grants support programs that strengthen families and communities by keeping them safe, such as parenting classes, family counseling, and domestic abuse shelters. Early Childhood Reading grants support programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age nine, to read together with their families. Grants generally range between $1,000 and $3,000.
Deadline: May 31
Click here for more information.
National Education Association Foundation Learning and Leadership
These grants support high-quality professional development opportunities, such as summer institutes, action research, collegial study, lesson study and mentoring for pre-K-12 teachers, education support professionals and higher education faculty and staff, all of whom must be practicing in U.S. public schools.
Deadline: June 1
Click here for more information.
Violence Prevention Programs Funded for Youth
A Brighter Future for Children and Youth, an initiative of the United Methodist Church, supports nonprofit organizations that address the needs of children and young people age 5 to 18 in the areas of violence prevention, anti-abuse, and relationship abuse. Grants of up to $4,000 are provided to small-scale, community, and church-based programs. Priority is given to programs that have significant involvement of women and youth at the grassroots level.
Deadline: July 1
Click here for more information. |
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Website of the Week:
Youth Coalition
Do you know any young people who are interested
in international health? Do you want the young people you work with to know
more about what they can do, as youth, to advocate for the developing world?
Youth Coalition is an
international organization of young people (ages 15-29 years) committed to
promoting adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive rights at the national,
regional and international levels. They are students, researchers, lawyers,
health care professionals, educators, development workers, and most
importantly, are all dedicated activists.
Visit this week's website.
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DHEC WORKSHOPS & INFO 
The STD/HIV Division is still accepting registration for the following training opportunities: Introduction to Human Sexuality - June 8, 2009 Popular Opinion Leader (POL) - June 16-18, 2009 Location: All trainings are currently scheduled to be held in Columbia. Site locations will be provided in the confirmation letter with directions. For More Information: All communications regarding these trainings should be directed to James Harris, Jr. STD/HIV Division Training Coordinator, at 803-898-0480 or by e-mail at harrisj@dhec.sc.gov. New Fact Sheets
DHEC's STD/HIV Division and the SC HIV Planning Council recently released the SC HIV Prevention Plan. These fact sheets provide pertinent information about priority populations and effective interventions. You can even find updated SC epi profiles. Read the fact sheets. | |
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