The Action Line!
Your Source for Teen Pregnancy Prevention News
June 2008- Vol 4, Issue 1
In This Issue
APPCNC Name Change
Science Matters!
Funding Alerts
Dates to Know
In the Media
Join Our Mailing List!
Greetings!
June!
The Action Line has returned this June from a Spring Cleaning just in time to head on vacation with you!  This month the Action Line changed hands: your new author is James Martin, intrepid newshound and all-around mediocre fellow.  He's taking over from the talented yet overworked Sally Swanson, who is taking a well deserved vacation from newshounding.  The Action Line salutes our former Overlady and welcomes our new Overlord!  Viva la queso!
Holy Name Change, Batman!
New LogoAPPCNC has changed its name and logo! We're now the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention CAMPAIGN of North Carolina. Please make a note.
 
Science Matters!
  1. UPDATED REPORT DESCRIBES PROGRAMS PROVEN TO AFFECT THE BEHAVIORS OR SEXUAL HEALTH OUTCOMES OF YOUNG PEOPLE:  Science and Success: Sex Education and Other Programs That Work to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections identifies effective programs to help young people reduce their risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. The second edition, recently published by Advocates for Youth, describes 26 programs that met rigorous criteria for inclusion and strongly affected the behaviors or sexual health outcomes of young people exposed to the program. Twenty-three of the programs include information about abstinence and contraception within the context of sexual health education. Of the three that do not include sexual health education, two are early childhood interventions, and one is a service-learning program. The programs and their evaluations are divided into three sections in the report. Section 1 describes programs designed for and evaluated in school settings, including some that are linked to reproductive health care. Section 2 describes programs implemented by community agencies outside the school or clinic environment. Section 3 describes clinic-based programs. A table summarizing programs' settings as well as the grade range, locale, and populations served by each is included. The full report is available here.. An executive summary is also available here.
  2. ISSUE BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING CONTRACEPTIVE USE AND PROVISION: Improving Contraceptive Use in the United States suggests the need for new strategies to improve women's contraceptive use and better protect them from unintended pregnancy. The issue brief, published by the Guttmacher Institute, is based on findings from two nationally representative surveys to investigate women's contraceptive experiences and clinicians' delivery of relevant care. One survey asked sexually active women ages 18-44 who were not seeking pregnancy about their contraceptive use patterns over a 1-year period. The other survey asked public and private contraceptive service providers to describe their service-delivery protocols and their perceptions of clients'
    difficulties with method use. The brief provides background information on unintended pregnancy, method use, and the factors that contribute to unintended pregnancy. A discussion of key findings focuses on gaps in contraceptive use and the potential reasons for such gaps, method choice and experience, clients' satisfaction with services, and access to services. Survey data are presented in charts and graphs throughout the document. The authors conclude with recommendations targeting the following two broadly defined audiences: (1) service providers and (2) policymakers, researchers, and advocates. The brief is available here.
  3. STUDY LOOKS AT PARENTING PRACTICES AND PARENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF YOUNG ADOLESCENT URBAN GIRLS' ALCOHOL AND SEXUAL BEHAVIORS:  "This study provides evidence that parents who engage in more positive parenting practices . . . support their daughters' healthy choices and behaviors," write the authors of an article published in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. Young adolescent girls who live in urban communities with disproportionately high prevalences of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections are at considerable risk for initiating sex and alcohol use before age 13. Underestimation of girls' risks on the parts of both parents and professionals creates barriers to prevention. The study described in this article examines parenting practices and parents' perceptions of their young adolescent daughters' behaviors. The authors explore relationships between parents and daughters as well as daughters' reports of their own behaviors.

    Researchers surveyed more than 700 sixth-grade girls and their parents during a 2-year period (2005 and 2006). The sample was recruited from seven public schools in New York City serving African-American and Latino families with low incomes. Girls provided information on alcohol use, conduct, and their families' parenting practices. Parents provided information on their parenting practices and perceptions of daughters'
    risk behaviors.

    The authors found that
    * More than 90% of the girls were age 12 or younger; 75.1% identified themselves as African American or black and 32.9% as Latino.
    * Less than 1% of parents reported that girls had used alcohol, but 22.3% of girls said that they had had a drink once or more, and 8% said they had been drunk in the past year.
    * Accounts of watching movies or television or listening to music that parents did not approve of were somewhat more consistent across generations, as were the percentages of girls reporting that they had hung out with girls their parents did not approve of.
    * About 38% of the girls reported that they had hung out with boys and older boys that their parents did not approve of; by contrast, 17% of parents perceived that their daughter hung out with boys they did not approve of, and only 5.1% perceived that this was with boys at least 2 years older.
    * Parents' underestimation of risk was positively correlated with daughters' reports of fewer rules, less parental oversight, less parent-child communication, and less disapproval of risk. Moreover, among girls engaged in the riskiest behaviors, parents who underestimated these risks rated themselves more favorably on parenting practices -- counter to their daughters' assessments.
    The authors conclude that "creating greater awareness of the early onset of drinking and sexual risk behaviors among urban adolescent girls is important for fostering positive parenting practices, which in turn may help parents to support their daughters' healthier choices."
    O'Donnell L, Stueve A, Duran R, et al. 2008. Parenting practices, parents' underestimation of daughters' risks, and alcohol and sexual behaviors of urban girls. Journal of Adolescent Health 42(5): 496-502.
    Abstract available here..
  4. PERCEPTION THAT TEENS FREQUENTLY SUBSTITUTE ORAL SEX FOR INTERCOURSE A MYTH:  Slightly more than half (55%) of 15-19-year-olds have engaged in heterosexual oral sex, 50% have engaged in vaginal sex and 11% have had anal sex, according to a new Guttmacher Institute study. However, both oral and anal sex are much more common among teens who have already had vaginal intercourse than among those who have not, suggesting that teens initiate a range of sexual activities around the same time, rather than substitute one for another.

    "There is a widespread belief that teens engage in nonvaginal forms of sex, especially oral sex, as a way to be sexually active while still claiming that technically, they are virgins," says study author Laura Lindberg. "However, our research shows that this supposed substitution of oral sex for vaginal sex is largely a myth. There is no good evidence that teens who have not had intercourse engage in oral sex with a series of partners." Check out the report here.
  5. 2007 NATIONAL YRBS DATA IS RELEASED: The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, including behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus infection; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. YRBSS also monitors the prevalence of obesity and asthma. YRBSS includes a national school-based survey conducted by CDC and state and local school-based surveys conducted by state and local education and health agencies. This report summarizes results from the national survey, 39 state surveys, and 22 local surveys conducted among students in grades 9--12 during 2007. The full report can be found here.
Funding Alerts
  1. Western Union Foundation -- Grants to Serve Immigrant Populations
    The Western Union Foundation funds projects serving migrant and immigrant populations. The Creating Pathways to Opportunity grants support programs that allow individuals to have better access to educational opportunities and economic development programs. Activities may include job training, life skills education, computer education, and financial literacy. The Supporting Cultural Inclusion grants support programs that help individuals integrate into their new communities. Activities may include language acquisition courses, civic engagement education, and community development programs assisting with the transition into a new community.
    Eligible applicants include nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations whose primary mission is to serve migrant and immigrant populations.
    Deadline: September 1, 2008 (Letter of Inquiry)
  2. WHO Foundation -- Women and Children Grants
    The Women Helping Others (WHO) Foundation supports grass-roots charities serving the overlooked needs of women and children in the United States. Priority areas include health and social service needs.
    Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Organizations must have been incorporated for a minimum of three years prior to applying.
    Deadline: September 8, 2008
  3. FedEx Corporation -- Social Responsibility Program
    The FedEx Social Responsibility Program aims to support the communities that the company serves. Areas of interest include emergency and disaster relief, pedestrian and child safety, education, and health and human services.
    Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Corporate resources include financial contributions, in-kind shipping services and coordination of volunteer services by FedEx employees.
    Deadline: Rolling
  4. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -- Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders
    Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders is a collaborative initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Creative Leadership. The initiative focuses on developing critical leadership competencies for 270 early- to mid-career professionals through an innovative, 16-month leadership development curriculum.
    Eligible applicants must: 1) be an early- to mid-career professional with one to five years of supervisory experience; be an employee of a community-based, health or health-related nonprofit or government organization that serves vulnerable populations; work in one of the priority communities targeted by the initiative; commit to a 16-month leadership development initiative and curriculum; and be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories at the time of application. Up to 30 fellows will be selected to participate in the program in each of the nine targeted communities: Central NY; Cleveland, OH; Birmingham, AL; Albuquerque, NM; Eastern NC; Portland, OR; Mid-South Region; New Jersey; and Starr County, TX.
    Deadline: Dates vary by priority community
  5. Allstate Foundation -- Grants for Nonprofits
    The Allstate Foundation is accepting applications for its nonprofit organization grants that address one of three focus areas: safe and vital communities; economic empowerment; and tolerance, inclusion, and diversity.
    Award amounts vary. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status
    Deadline: Rolling
  6. Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation -- Community Grants
    The Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation is dedicated to improving the communities it serves through support of public education, community improvement projects and home safety initiatives. The Foundation's primary focus areas are community improvement projects and public education (priority is given to K-12 public schools).
    Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status in communities where Lowe's operates stores and distribution centers. Grants generally range from $5000 to $25,000.
    Deadline: Rolling
  7. SAS Community Grants: Our support is directed toward sustainable programs that help teens succeed in the classroom and graduate from high school. Organizations will be considered if they can show that their efforts have a long-term impact and affect significant numbers of people, regardless of race, national origin, gender, age, disability, religious beliefs or income levels.
  8. Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation: In observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation awards $20,000 grants to over 150 women's shelters across the United States. Shelter grant applications are available from this Web site or from the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation from January 2 to June 30 each year. Grant recipients are announced in the fall to coincide with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. To download the 2008 Shelter Grant Application click here for a PDF or here for a Word document.
  9. Ralph & Eileen Swett Foundation: The Foundation has identified the following as special areas of interest: Funding programs which assist orphaned children and promote their adoption and intervention in the lives of troubled youths. However, funding is by no means restricted to the above mentioned areas.  The Foundation remains open to other areas of interest so potential applicants with services in other areas should not feel discouraged from applying or from bringing themselves to the attention of the Board.  The Ralph and Eileen Swett Foundation, as a relatively new foundation, has not limited itself to specific areas of need and expects to evolve its policies and interests with time.   Therefore, we invite you to use this website to submit your application or make your organization known and to return to this website periodically for updated information.
  10. Heineman Foundation: The purpose of the Heineman Foundation is to provide seed money to start-up projects and new projects within existing organizations for a maximum of three to five years. Preference will be given to organizations that we have not previously funded. The average range of our donations is $20,000.00 to $50,000.00, per annum. An organization must have 501(c)3 status and upload copies of corresponding IRS documents to the online application form in order for the application to be considered. Applications/Proposals must be submitted no later than September 1st.
    The Foundation's general areas of interest are the following (in no particular order):
        * Programs that enable economically challenged women to enter and remain in the workplace
              o On site day care centers for women in the workplace
              o Job training programs
              o Language and leadership skills
        * Environmental research that will help prevent, reduce and/or eliminate water degradation.
        * Music as education and preserver of culture.
        * Research into prevention of and treatment for childhood illnesses.
        * Programs that enable youth to think, create and communicate effectively.
  Important Dates to Know
  • June 17-20: SC Campaign's Annual Conference
  • June 18: NC Women United's Women's Advocacy Day at the NC Legislature.  NC Women United is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to advancing public policies that support the full economic, legal and social equality of women in NC. To view a copy of the Women's Legislative Agenda and the Legislative Report Card for 2007 and for a flyer and a printable registration form go to www.ncwu.org.
  • September 2: TPPI RFA released
  • October 29 - November 1: Healthy Teen Network Conference in Albuquerque: Speaking Many Languages, Respecting Diversity, Believing in Equity.
  • November 12: APPCNC Grant Writing Training
  • December 12: TPPI Applications Due
  • May 20 - 22, 2009: APPCNC and NCDHHS present: Annual Conference 2009, Greensboro, NC!
In the Media
  1. While I am not a huge fan of the Dr. Phil experience, he did have a recent show on talking to your kids about sex.  Check it out here!
  2. mtvU, MTV's Peabody and Emmy Award-winning college network, and the Kaiser Family Foundation, in partnership with POZ Magazine, today unveiled "Pos or Not" (www.PosorNot.com): an online game that challenges stereotypes and breaks down the barriers that may prevent people from talking openly about HIV/AIDS, getting tested, and using protection. Check it out!
  3. The Rocky Mount Telegram did a series on teen pregnancy recently.  Check it out here.
Last But Not Least
If you've got a hot tip, an upcoming event or news that you think others should hear, drop a line to the Action Line.  Until the next issue, keep up the good work!