 Restored Women's Preventive Healthcare Funding in Sight With the Texas Legislative session coming closer to its end, the members of the House and Senate Budget Conference Committee have agreed on prioritizing women's preventive healthcare this session. Although there are other areas of controversy, women's preventive care -- the care that helps women stay healthy, plan for healthy pregnancies, and avoid unplanned pregnancy -- has had strong bipartisan support. The Budget Conference Committee has now released its final report. Their budget plan: - Provides $71.3 million in state funding for the Texas Women's Health Program, replacing the federal dollars lost when Planned Parenthood was excluded from the program.
- Expands the state's Community Primary Care Program by $100 million to support women's preventive care, including contraceptive care for an estimated 100,000 low-income women.
- Adopts the House's plan to add $32.1 million in state funds to the Texas Family Planning Program, to replace the federal Title X grant funds that the state no longer receives.
This is great news! These funding levels are expected to translate into access to care for the 147,000 women who lost it in 2011. Agreement on these funding levels is a critically important step in repairing the state's tattered women's healthcare safety net. Of course, the finalized budget must still be adopted by the House and the Senate and signed into law by the Governor. However, this Conference Committee report represents important progress toward the goal of access to preventive care for all Texas women. The Healthy Futures Alliance (HFA), a San Antonio coalition dedicated to reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy, has advocated for this funding, along with other organizations, as a member of the Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition. HFA has both "pro-life" and "pro-choice" members, but all are working together on prevention. HFA will meet next on May 29 to discuss legislative developments, as well as local prevention efforts. Many thanks to all who helped HFA and the Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition lead the fight for Texas women, babies and families! |
 How do YOU Score? May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, and Healthy Futures of Texas would like to encourage all teens (and parents!) to take the online StayTeen quiz. Our friends at The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy have again put together a fun and educational quiz experience. This year, everyone can make an individualized avatar to represent themselves, their "crush", and their "BFF", as they consider the various scenarios in the quiz. Participants can also register to win an iTunes gift card. The National Month to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is one of many efforts that have helped teen birth rates to fall by 31 percent in Bexar County since 2009. Today's youth have important decisions to make about relationships and sex, and the best time to think about how to handle a tough decision is BEFORE you have to make it! Everyone can help to reduce teen pregnancy by encouraging teens in their life to go online and take the quiz. |
UT Teen Health: Collaborating with the Community to Make Lives Better in South San Antonio
Since 2010, UT Teen Health (UTTH) has accomplished many exciting things on the south side of San Antonio. Through a cooperative agreement with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UTTH's goal is to decrease initial and repeat teen births by 10% in the community within the boundaries of Harlandale, Southwest, South San Antonio, Southside, and Somerset school districts.
UTTH collaborates with schools, community based youth-serving organizations (CBYOs), and clinical service providers and has three active advisory groups including the Core Partner Leadership Team, Community Action Team and Youth Leadership Team. There are five main components to this community wide initiative: community mobilization, evidence-based programs, clinical linkages, educating stakeholders, and working with diverse communities to develop a sustainable program.
UTTH has obtained school board approval in all 5 districts to implement evidence based programs (EBPs) in high schools. Additionally, UTTH trained over 100 teachers and CBYO staff, including 30 Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department (BCJPD) staff, to be EBP facilitators. These facilitators have implemented EBPs with more than 2,000 high school aged students over the past year.
UTTH is improving teen-friendly healthcare by promoting same-day appointments, shorter wait times, age-appropriate materials, and linkages to mental health and other resources for teens. UTTH has also helped to bring local clinic staff together with Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) and BCJPD staff, to improve referrals and continuous care for sexually active youth. In addition, UTTH has promoted a Nurse Liaison for postpartum teens to discuss contraceptive options before hospital discharge to help prevent repeat teen births.
The CDC has highlighted UTTH's accomplishments nationwide, particularly UTTH's success in decreasing repeat teen births and its unique partnerships, such as with BCJPD. It is with the support of community members that UTTH continues to help make lives better for the south side of San Antonio and Bexar County.
To find out more about UT Teen Health, call (210) 567-7036; email:UTTeenHealth@uthscsa.edu; visit: www.UTTeenHealth.org; or "Like" them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UTTeenHealth.
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Meet Jennifer Moore
Jennifer Moore, MPH, CHES, brings tremendous energy, knowledge, and experience to her work as Healthy Futures of Texas' Education Program Coordinator. With Healthy Futures since receiving her Masters of Public Health from Baylor University in 2011, Jennifer is a San Antonio native who is making a big impact on her home town.
Jennifer is involved in many different aspects of Healthy Futures, facilitating programs in schools and community agencies; developing programs for teens; supervising staff, interns, and volunteers; and training others to provide programs in their schools and agencies. Jennifer's "plate" is always full, but she manages to get everything done -- and to help co-workers and collaborators whenever needed.
Jennifer also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Society of Public Health Education and as a member of the MPH Advisory Council at Baylor University in Waco.
On the job, Jennifer is also a mentor to staff, interns, and volunteers. She additionally serves as a role model for many teens in the community. Her dedication and hard work have made it possible for Healthy Futures of Texas to reach so many teens in our community.
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Adolescent Sexual Health Course in Houston June 11-13
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Healthy Futures of Texas is committed to reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy in San Antonio
and Texas by providing and promoting science-based and culturally appropriate approaches.
We are working toward a community where every young person is able to reach their potential, and
every child is wanted, loved, and cared for.
2300 W. Commerce, Ste. 203
San Antonio, Texas, 78207
210.223.4589
info@healthyfuturestx.org
www.HealthyFuturesTX.org
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