The Action Line!
Your Source for Teen Pregnancy Prevention News
July 2008- Vol 4, Issue 2
In This Issue
Resource Roundup
Science Matters!
Funding Alerts
Dates to Know
In the Media
Join Our Mailing List!
Greetings!
July?!?Editor's Note: This edition of the Action Line originally squeaked past my fingers with some bad links (naughty links!) but they have been disciplined and all those responsible have been sacked.  We now return you to your usual Action Line, already in progress...
July?!?  No dear reader, I tell naught but the truth!  July is upon us and fireworks are in the air as we enter the long hot days of Summer.  This edition marks the first Action Line that exists in concert with APPCNC's newest product: the Ounce of Prevention Podcast!  The Podcast will be a twice monthly audio broadcast that covers science based programs, prevention in the news, grant alerts as well as highlighting any great programs that exist here in North Carolina (hint, hint!).  Keep an eye out for new downloads every two weeks or so!
Resources, Information and Other Useful Things
  1. Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: How Abstinence-only Programs Harm Women and Girls
    Legal Momentum released "Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: How Abstinence-only Programs Harm Women and Girls," a new report exposing the deceitful and sexist messages of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs and highlighting the harm to our youth, and women, and girls in particular, of this government-funded program. For more information, click here.
  2. Participation of Mothers in Government Assistance Programs: 2004
    This report is part of the US Census Bureau's Current Population Reports series, which provides a long-range view of mothers' participation in six public assistance programs - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); the Food Stamp Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); Medicaid; and housing assistance programs - since the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was enacted. To view the report, click here
  3. Reproductive Justice Briefing Book
    The new "Reproductive Justice Briefing Book: A Primer on Reproductive Justice and Social Change" features articles on a range of issues including sexuality education, Medicaid and women's reproductive health, constitutional protections for pregnant women, and reproductive justice and health care reform. To view the publication, click here. 
  4. "What Works" in Fatherhood Programs?
    A new National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse brief authored by Child Trends examines experimental evaluations of fatherhood and parenting programs to identify ten promising practices. To download the brief, click here.
  5. Guttmacher Policy Review
    The Spring issue of the Guttmacher Policy Review includes articles on topics including provider refusal and access to reproductive health services, Congress' examination of the evidence on abstinence-only programs, and the high STI rates among teens. For more information, visit http://guttmacher.org/pubs/gpr/11/2/index.html
  6. Kids Count Data Book
    The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released the 19th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book, a national and state-by-state profile of the status of America's children. For more information, click here. 
  7. Early Interventions to Prevent Abuse and Prepare for School Success - Audio Recording
    This Thursday's Child public policy forum explored school-success initiatives that support newborns, toddlers, and their parents; the evolution of prevention and home visitation models; and recommendations for enacting effective programs and policies. For more information and to listen, click here. 
  8. Using Incentives to Increase Participation in Out-of-School Time Programs
    This new Child Trends brief provides key strategies for implementing a successful incentive program, including providing age-appropriate rewards to children, youth, and families, and also includes a list of print and online resources, as well as advice from a practitioner who has successfully used incentives to promote program attendance and involvement. To view this brief, click here.
Science Matters!
  1.  Study Examines Reproductive Outcomes in Subsequent Adolescents Births
    A study in BMC Pregnancy Childbirth journal reports that adolescents who give birth twice have worse outcomes in their second pregnancy compared to adolescents who give birth for the first time. (Reime, B. et al. (2008). Reproductive Outcomes in Adolescents Who Had a Previous Birth or an Induced Abortion Compared to Adolescents' First Pregnancies. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 8(4)).
  2. Virginity Pledges Among the Willing: Delays in First Intercourse and Consistency of Condom Use
    According to this study, making a virginity pledge appears to be an effective means of delaying sexual intercourse initiation among those inclined to pledge without influencing other sexual behavior; pledging does not appear to affect sexual safety among pledgers who fail to remain abstinent. (Martino, S.C. et al. (2008). Virginity Pledges Among the Willing: Delays in First Intercourse and Consistency of Condom Use. Journal of Adolescent Health, Article in Press). 
  3. New Findings on Youth and Oral Sex
    A popular theory about young people having oral sex to preserve their virginity was debunked last month when the results of a new study found that it is teens who have had vaginal sex who are more likely to have had oral sex. Slated for publication in the July issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, the study examined data from the National Survey of Family Growth and found that teens initiate a range of sexual activities around the same time, rather than substituting one for another.
    Slightly over half of teens (54 percent of teen girls and 55 percent of teen boys ages 15-19) reported having had oral sex, and by 6 months after first vaginal intercourse, 82 percent of teens had also had oral sex. White teens were more likely than African American or Hispanic teens, and teens of higher socioeconomic status were more likely than those of lower socioeconomic status, to have had oral or anal sex.
    In a Washington Post article on the study, James Wagoner said: "More than half of our teens are having sex -- vaginal and oral. We can't afford the luxury of denial. Abstinence-only programs are the embodiment of denial. They have been proven not to work, and it's time to invest in real sex education, including condoms."
    Read the study here: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/JAH_Lindberg.pdf 
  4. America's teen birth rate - already the highest among developed nations - is again on the rise, and rates of STDs among American teens are very high. As such, the development and identification of effective interventions to help youth avoid negative reproductive health outcomes is of great importance. Child Trends database have identified programs that work and have listed 50 programs whose effects on reproductive health have been experimentally evaluated. To read about what these programs revealed click here
  5. Preventing Recurrent Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Minority Adolescents
    According to researchers who conducted a randomized controlled trial of the Sexual Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) behavioral intervention on teenagers (aged 14 to 18 years), sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention interventions for teens should "emphasize skills to help teens ensure their partners are treated or to otherwise refuse intercourse." (Thurman, A.R. et al. (2008). Preventing Recurrent Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Minority Adolescents. Obstetrics & Gynecology, (111), 1417-1425).
  6. Gang Exposure and Pregnancy Incidence among Female Adolescents in San Francisco
    According to a new study, teenage girls with boyfriends who are affiliated with gangs are twice as likely as girls whose boyfriends are not gang members to become pregnant. (Minnis, A.M. et al. (2008). Gang Exposure and Pregnancy Incidence among Female Adolescents in San Francisco: Evidence for the Need to Integrate Reproductive Health with Violence Prevention Efforts. American Journal of Epidemiology, 167(9), 1102-1109).
  7. Male Condoms that Break in Use Do So Mostly by a 'Blunt Puncture' Mechanism
    "Blunt puncture appears to be the mechanism of breakage responsible for more than 90 percent of condom breakage not attributable to misuse," the authors concluded. "Knowledge of the main mechanism of breakage should help develop better user instructions, better test methods, and, ultimately, better condoms." (White, N.D. et al. (2008). Male Condoms that Break in Use Do So Mostly by a 'Blunt Puncture' Mechanism. Contraception, 77(5), 360-365).
  8. Effect of an Emergency Contraceptive Pill Intervention on Pregnancy Risk Behavior
    This paper reports a secondary analysis of data previously reported from a study examining whether facilitated access to emergency contraception (EC) had an effect on pregnancy risk behavior. (Raymond, E.G. & Weaver, M.A. (2008). Effect of an Emergency Contraceptive Pill Intervention on Pregnancy Risk Behavior. Contraception, 77(5), 333-336).
  9. New YRBS Data Now Available
    New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that positive changes in high school teens' sexual behavior and contraceptive use have stalled.  At present, nearly half of all teens have ever had sex and more than one-third are sexually active (that is, they have had sex in the past three months). Less than two-thirds of sexually active teens report using a condom the last time they had sex.  The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) also notes that 15% of high school students report they have had four or more sexual partners, essentially unchanged from 2005
    A review of the YRBS data 1991-2007 tells a tale of two decades.  On the teen sex front, the 1990s can be described as almost uniformly positive-the proportion of sexually experienced teens decreased 16 percent, and the proportion of sexually active teens who used condoms increased 25 percent. The current decade can fairly be characterized as running in place. Click here to read the full YRBS survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
  10. Adolescents' STD Protective Attitudes Predict STD Acquisition in Early Adulthood
    Findings from this study provide evidence suggesting that safer sex programs may benefit adolescents by fostering positive attitudes toward practices that avert sexually transmitted disease (STD) acquisition. (Crosby, R.A. et al. (2008). Adolescents' Sexually Transmitted Disease Protective Attitudes Predict Sexually Transmitted Disease Acquisition in Early Adulthood. Journal of School Health, 78(6), 310-313).


Funding Alerts
  1. American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health Planning Funds Program
    Through the Community Access To Child Health Planning Funds program, the American Academy of Pediatrics provides grants to develop sustainable, community-based child health initiatives that increase access to care, especially for underserved children, and address health disparities among children.
    Deadline: July 31, 2008
    For more information, click here.
  2. Funding Opportunity for Clinic Innovators
    The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is seeking proposals that promote innovation in direct family planning services.
    Deadline: August 15, 2008, 11:00am ET
    For more information, click here.
  3. Open Meadows Foundation Funding for Projects for Women and Girls
    The foundation offers grants to projects that are designed and implemented by women and girls; reflect the diversity of the community served by the project; promote community power, as well as racial, social, economic, and environmental justice; and have limited access to financial resources or have encountered obstacles in their search for funding.
    Deadline: August 15, 2008
    For more information, click here.
  4. Albertsons Health and Nutrition Grants
    Albertsons is accepting grant applications in the following areas: hunger relief, youth and education, health and nutrition, and environmental stewardship.
    Deadline: Rolling
    For more information, click here.
  5. American Savings Foundation Youth and Family Grants
    The American Savings Foundation provides grants to strengthen communities by supporting education, human services, and the arts. Grants are available for community organizations that support youth and families.
    Deadline: Rolling
    For more information, click here.
  6. The Verizon Foundation is in the business of improving lives in literacy, knowledge and a readiness for the 21st Century. Specifically, we help people to: increase their literacy and educational achievement; avoid being an abuser or a victim of domestic violence; and achieve and sustain their health and safety  Eligible organizations seeking grants from the Verizon Foundation must be prepared to track and report program outcomes as well as specific results that demonstrate measurable human impact. In the grant application, organizations must indicate what outcomes are targeted through programming and what results, as specified on the grant application, the organization will measure. For more info, visit: http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/guidelines.shtml
  7. RGK Foundation awards grants in the broad areas of Education, Community, and Medicine/Health. The Foundation's current interests in the area of Medicine/Health include programs that promote the health and well-being of children, programs that promote access to health services, and Foundation-initiated programs focusing on ALS. While the Foundation occasionally awards grants for operating expenses, capital campaigns, endowments, and international projects, such grants are infrequent and usually initiated by the Foundation. Multiyear grants are rare; most grants are awarded for a one-year period. For more information, visit http://www.rgkfoundation.org/
  8. The mission of the Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) is to provide for and support inventive and effective ways of helping people help themselves and others around them to lead healthy, satisfying and enriched lives. To fulfill this mission, the Foundation acts as grantmaker, innovator and volunteer for four main programs: Education, Children's Advocacy, Medical Research & Issues, and The Arts.  For more information, visit http://www.charleslafitte.org/ or contact Jennifer Vertetis, President at [email protected].
  9. 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). Contact the Western Union Foundation directly for complete program information and application guidelines: http://corporate.westernunion.com/foundation_guidelines.html
  10. The Drucker Institute has announced a call for applications for the 2008 Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation. The award is granted to a social sector organization that demonstrates Peter Drucker's definition of innovation - "change that creates a new dimension of performance." The program submitted for consideration must have specific and measurable outcomes; exemplify innovation by demonstrating a new dimension or standard of performance; have made a difference in the lives of the people it serves; and serve as a model that can be replicated or adopted by other organizations. The winner will receive the $35,000 first prize, with $7,500 awarded for second place and $5,000 for third place. For more info, visit http://www.druckerinstitute.com/nonprofit.html
  11. US Department of Health and Human Services Street Outreach Program
    The US Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families' Street Outreach Program aims to support outreach services designed to build relationships between grantee staff and street youth in order to help young people leave the streets and assist in moving and adjusting to a safe and appropriate living arrangement.
    Deadline: July 18, 2008
    For more information, click here
  12. American Savings Foundation Youth and Family Grants
    The American Savings Foundation Youth and Family Grants support organizations and programs that improve the quality of life for residents of the communities served by the Foundation, with a special emphasis on the needs of children, youth and families.
    Deadline: Rolling
    For more information and instructions on how to apply, click here.
  Important Dates to Know
  • August 21: The Guilford County Department of Public Health proudly announces our next Smart Girls Life Skills Curriculum Training! SMART GIRLS Life Skills Training Curriculum Part I is an eight to ten week teen pregnancy prevention program targeting girls ages 12 to 14.  Smart Girls Life Skills Training promotes healthy behaviors and ultimately aims to reduce the risk of teen pregnancy by teaching girls the importance of life skills such as cultivating self esteem and making healthy decisions.  For more information email Jean Workman!
  • 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 19 - 21, 2009: APPCNC and NCDHHS present: Annual Conference 2009, Greensboro, NC! (NOTE: new dates!)
In the Media
  • The North Carolina News Network recently did a five part radio series on teen parents in North Carolina in the wake of Juno, Knocked Up and other recent news stories.  It can be heard online here. 
  • Normally I am not a proponent of reality television, but in this case, it's for a good cause: The National Campaign recently teamed up with NBC to create Baby Borrowers, a teen pregnancy prevention reality show.  Here's the blurb: NBC's upcoming reality series "The Baby Borrowers" is an intriguing new social experiment based on the hit British program that asks five diverse teenage couples -- ages 18-20 -- to fast-track to adulthood by setting up a home, getting a job and becoming caring parents first to babies, toddlers, pre-teens and their pets, teenagers and senior citizens -- all over the course of three weeks. Check out more about it here and catch it on NBC on Wednesday nights!
  • NPR's Day to Day did a couple really interesting segments on teen pregnancy prevention, the Gloucester teen pregnancy boom and technology.  It can be heard here if you missed it.
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!