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Back Up Your Birth Control Day of Action - March 20th
The Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign is committed to spreading the word about emergency contraception, a safe and effective method of back up birth control. This year, on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 the sixth annual Back Up Your Birth Control Day of Action, a coalition of more than 100 women's health and medical organizations will undertake dozens of educational activities nationwide to send an important message to teens: back up your birth control with emergency contraception.
Since the FDA approved OTC sales of EC for adult women, but kept the prescription requirement for teens younger than 18, the Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign understands that promoting knowledge and use of this safe and effective back up birth control method is even more important than ever. That's why the Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign is mobilizing thousands of activists around the country to educate the media and medical community and host Back Up Your Birth Control EC education activities on college campuses, with legislators, and for public health officials. Please visit www.backupyourbirthcontrol.org and www.ineedec.info for more information.
RESTORE SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS!!
Representative Susan Fisher is working on legislation intended to modify current state health education law by requiring school districts to cover not only abstinence, but also contraception, HIV/STD prevention and education, and sexual assault risk reduction. Research clearly reflects that it is not EITHER abstinence OR contraception/prevention education BUT BOTH that enable youth to make informed and responsible reproductive health decisions and that have been shown to reduce rates of teen pregnancy or to change the behaviors associated with pregnancy and/or HIV/STI transmission. APPCNC commends Representative Fisher's efforts to work on this extraordinarily important legislation that will support prevention efforts state-wide. Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina is in support of this legislation as well and has a handy webpage so that you canTAKE ACTION and urge your legislators to co-sponsor or support this bill. |
| IN THE NEWS... |
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New Report on Teen Pregnancy Released by the Brookings Institution
Julia Isaacs, Child and Family Policy Fellow at the Brookings Institution, offers a new look at America's budget. In her paper, Cost-Effective Investments in Children, Isaacs proposes four areas of investment that merit expanded federal funding even in a time of fiscal austerity - one of which is increased attention to teen pregnancy prevention. Specifically, Isaacs proposes an investment of $7.7 billion over five years in volunteer outreach and youth development programs. One of the programs endorsed in this report is the Teen Outreach Program which is being successfully replicated in many parts of the state. Click here to read the entire paper.
Bill Would Assure Medicaid Reimbursement for School-Based Health Services to Children with Disabilities
Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) said yesterday that legislation he has proposed in the Senate "recognizes the importance of schools as a site of delivery of health care" and would ensure that children with disabilities can obtain health services during the school day. For more information please visit http://www.healthinschools.org/2007/feb14_alert.asp
Young People and Sex: Parents, Can We Talk?
NPR Morning Edition, March 8, 2007 Youth Radio report on talking with parents about sex. Many young people are no longer having "the sex talk" with their parents. They're filled with information, including what they learn from TV or the Internet. But they're still interested in what Mom and Dad might have to say - however awkwardly. Click here to listen.
March 10th is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
The proportion of HIV and AIDS cases in the United States in women has been increasing since the beginning of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. According to the CDC's 2004 Surveillance Report of Cases of HIV and AIDS in the United States, 27 percent of new AIDS cases were in women, and 82 percent of these cases were in African-American and Latina Women.
Women and girls can take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS in a variety of ways, including getting tested for HIV, practicing safe methods to prevent HIV, deciding not to engage in high risk behaviors, talking about HIV prevention with family, friends and colleagues, empowering themselves, and providing support to those living with HIV/AIDS.
March 21st is the FIRST National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
This year marks the first annual National Native (American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The theme is "A Celebration of Life...Protecting Our Future, Protecting Our People!" This day is an opportunity to increase awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
For more information about these Awareness Days, please visit the Office of Minority Health.
Nation LGBT Health Awareness Week
National LGBT Health Awareness Week (March 11-17, 2007) is a way to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health in your community and across the nation. The theme of the 2007 National LGBT Health Awareness Week is "KNOW MORE."
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CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES |
| Meeting the Employment and Parenting Needs of Low Income Families
As part of their Child and Family Policy Web Conference Series, Chapin Hall is convening a web conference to explore efforts to integrate welfare-to-work programs, child welfare programs, and other family supports. Panelists will discuss how TANF and child welfare programs can collaborate on strategies to prevent the need for intervention by the child welfare system and better support low-income families. March 27th, 1-2 pm ET. Click here to register.
STRIKING A BALANCE: CARING FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CLIENTS -
2007 Public Health Social Work Conference. Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Registration fee: $70.00. Register NOW.
Reaching Out To and Serving Latinos in North Carolina
This seminar- offered in Charlotte on April 5th - is presented by the FaithAction International House of Greensboro. This seminar will provide an overview of the cultural characteristics of Hispanics in North Carolina, along with specific strategies for improving organizational capacity to serve this population. Since it is largely funded by the Domestic Violence Prevention Office of the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services, the cost is only $25 per person for the entire day, including lunch. To get more information or to register email Mark Sills at: [email protected]
T.O.T. on Training Adolescents
This three-day "Training of the Trainers" will focus specifically on introducing new and building upon existing facilitation skills for professionals who provide educational workshops specifically for adolescents and teens. Dates: June 27-29, 2007 Location: Buffalo, NYFor more information, contact Kat Wilson at (212) 594- 7741 ext. 215 or kwilson@cicatelli. org. |
| Funding Opportunities |
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ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION - Local Initiative Funding Partners Program
The purpose of this program is to improve the health of vulnerable people in their communities. Deadline: July 10, 2007 For more information, click here. here.
ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) youth of color are at disproportionate risk for negative sexual health outcomes. African American/black and Latino/Hispanic young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are more likely than other YMSM to be infected with HIV. Many young lesbians of color are at heightened risk for HIV infection and pregnancy due, in part, to the strong values placed on childbearing in their racial/ethnic community. Unfortunately, GLBTQ youth of color also face discrimination within their own communities that places them at risk for unsafe sex, violence, and substance abuse. To better meet the needs of GLBTQ youth of color, we must integrate awareness of racism and the understanding of how culture shapes sexual attitudes, values, and beliefs. We must also be willing to redress homophobia within communities of color and create safe spaces for GLBTQ youth of color. This year, Advocates launched its Homophobia Project to help to build the capacity of organizations interested in and committed to improving the sexual health of all young people, including GLBTQ youth of color.
Through Advocates' Homophobia Project, your organization can receive culturally relevant publications and materials on HIV/STI and teen pregnancy prevention programming for GLBTQ youth; strategic technical assistance and training; and a seed grant in the amount of $7,000 to create safe spaces for GLBTQ youth of color 13-24 years old and redress homophobia within the local community, including schools and agencies.Click here to download the Request for Proposals. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2007. (sorry just learned of this one!) Read ADVOCATES' publication: Tips and Strategies for Meeting the Needs of GLBTQ Youth of Color |
| RESOURCES |
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FROM THE WOMEN'S CENTER of CHAPEL HILL:
Media, Sex and Health: A Community Guide for Professionals and Parents
By Kate H. Rademacher
Foreword by Jane D. Brown, Ph.D.
Published and distributed by The Women's Center, Chapel Hill, NC, www.womenspace.org
Media, Sex and Health: A Community Guide for Professionals and Parents is a resource intended to promote adult-teen communication about media and sexuality, so that young people can learn to independently analyze media messages and develop healthy media habits. Today, young people spend an average of 6 hours a day with media. Research tells us that excessive exposure to media messages about sexuality can contribute to an increase in sexual activity among adolescents. This manual provides an overview of the problem as well as ideas for ways that parents, educators and other adults who work with youth can help address the issues associated with unhealthy media consumption. This resource is particularly relevant for professionals working in the field of pregnancy prevention, as few sexual health curricula incorporate a media literacy component. The manual includes lesson plans; tips for parents and prevention specialists; and information about media effects, media literacy and Internet safety.
Recently released by The Women's Center, a non-profit organization located in Chapel Hill, NC. Media, Sex and Health: A Community Guide for Professionals and Parents is available for free online at www.womenspace.org/publications. Hard copies can be purchased by calling 919.968.4610 or by emailing [email protected].
FROM HEALTHY TEEN NETWORK and ETR ASSOCIATES:
Based on the 2006 report Sex and HIV Education Programs for Youth: Their Impact and Important Characteristics, HTN and ETR have produced a Tool to Assess the Characteristics of Effective Sex and STD/HIV Education Programs (the TAC) which is designed for adolescent reproductive health practitioners and program administrators to use to assess, select, improve or design a sex or STD/HIV education program.This is a great new resource to help make sure that the programs are doing the most to serve the youth they are intended to serve! Both the paper and the TAC can be accessed on the Healthy Teen Network Website or ETR AssociatesWebsite. You can also contact Sally Swanson at APPCNC for assistance in using this tool: [email protected] or 919-932-9885 ext 26.
FROM THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY:
"Why It Matters" Web Portal
Through a series of fact sheets, this new Web portal illustrates how such social issues - including overall child and family well-being, responsible fatherhood, education, and violence - are linked to teen pregnancy. For more information, click here.
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With One Voice -  New Survey of Adults and Teens
Teens say that parents most influence their decisions about sex. However, parents of teens underestimate the influence they have in this area. This and other findings are contained in With One Voice 2007, the National Campaign's latest nationally-representative survey of adults and teens. To read the full survey report or to purchase a copy of the report please click here.
FROM ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH:
New Publication: Program Models that Work. This supplement to the Advocates for Youth 2003 publication identifies five more programs that rigorous evaluation has proven effective in preventing teen pregnancy, HIV and STIs. Science and Success: Supplement I. Additional Sex Education and Other Programs That Work to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections Read it here.
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The Facts: HIV and Young American Indian/Alaska Native Women
Social, economic, and cultural barriers limit the ability of many American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) young women to receive accurate and adequate information on preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI)s.
The Facts: Dating Violence and Adolescents
Dating violence and abuse can lead to negative sexual health outcomes: the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy are higher for young people who have a history of abuse.
FROM THE GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE
A new presentation tool from the Guttmacher Institute brings together the latest information about parental involvement in teens' contraceptive use in the United States. It includes information about sexual activity and contraceptive use among American youth, public policy relating to teens' access to confidential contraceptive services, what teens would do if they were required to involve their parents, teens' assessment of their connectedness to and communication with their parents, and what family planning clinics are doing to promote parental involvement. For more information, please visit www.guttmacher.org.
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2006 State Legislation on Reproductive Health, Rights
According to "Trends in the States 2006," an analysis released by the Guttmacher Institute, 29 states last year passed 62 laws related to reproductive health and rights including eleven contraception-related measures. To view the analysis, visit http://www.guttmacher.org/statece nter/updates/2006/overview.html.
FROM CDC - A Guide to Community Preventive Services
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Task Force on Community Preventive Services, the "Community Guide" serves as an online guide to scientific literature on specific adolescent health problems, summarizing what is known about the effectiveness, economic efficiency, and feasibility of interventions in such areas as sexual behavior, violence prevention, and substance abuse. For more information, visit http://www.thecommunityguide.org/index.html. |
| SCIENCE MATTERS |
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Chlamydia Prevalence Monitoring Project Annual Report
The national, regional, state, and city profiles contain text and figures that provide an overview of chlamydia surveillance in sexually active women and men in the United States. ((2006). Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2005 Supplement, Chlamydia Prevalence Monitoring Project Annual Report 2005. USDHHS, CDC)
Prevalence of HPV Infection Among Females in the United States
Of US women and girls ages 14 to 59, about 24.9 million women, or 26.8 percent, have the human papillomavirus (HPV), and about 2 percent of women and girls in the age group have HPV strains 16 or 18, which together cause about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. (Dunne, E.F., et al. (2007). Prevalence of HPV Infection Among Females in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association, 297(8),813-818).
Birth Rates Among Females Aged 15-19 Years, by State - United States, 2004
This shows rates of teen pregnancy nationwide, as well as some "QuickStats" about issues such as prenatal care, appropriate weight gain, and smoking during pregnancy for teens ages 15-19 years. ((2007). QuickStats: Birth Rates Among Females Aged 15-19 Years, by State - United States, 2004. MMWR, 55 (51),1383).
Friends' Influence on Adolescents' First Sexual Intercourse
In this analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data, researchers explored social- psychological theories of health behavior that suggest that adolescents' sexual behaviors are influenced by those of their friends. (Sieving, R.E. et al. (2006). Friends' Influence on Adolescents' First Sexual Intercourse. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 38(1),13-19).
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