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Faith and Teen Pregnancy Prevention
Our friends at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy have important news about the role of faith and faith organizations in prevention:
Most adults (52%) and teens (57%) think religious leaders and groups should be doing more to help prevent teen pregnancy, according to a new Survey Says.
In an effort to get faith leaders more involved in preventing teen pregnancy, Esperanza-one of the largest Latino faith-based evangelical networks in the United States-has released Countering the Silence: A Faith Leader's Toolkit for Preventing Teen Pregnancy.
This new resource includes data and research, Bible studies, and suggested activities and ideas on how faith leaders can discuss topics such as sex, dating, and relationships with teens and parents in their community. With this new toolkit, faith leaders can take action and play an important and active role in helping Latino teens avoid too-early pregnancy and parenthood.
Faith Forward. Don't forget...
The National Campaign recently released a new complimentary resource: Tips to Help Faith Leaders and Their Communities Address Teen Pregnancy
Order copies of Faith Tips
Amazing and Important Items for your Reading List
a resource for child welfare professionals created with the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/pubs/Help-Me-Succeed.pdf
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Governor Perry Signs Budget, Restoring Women's Health Funding
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Governor Perry has signed the budget proposed by the 83rd Legislature, leaving women's healthcare funding fully intact. The investments in family planning in this year's budget will mean that subsidized family planning in Texas will provide access to approximately the same number of clients in 2014-15 as it was in 2010-11, before the big cuts last biennium.
The Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition played a critical role in helping to restore funding for preventive care for the 147,000 women who lost it in 2011.
During the 2013 Legislative Session, both Republicans and Democrats came together to support women's preventive care -- the care that helps women stay healthy, plan for healthy pregnancies, and avoid unplanned pregnancy.
The current budget for 2014-2015 biennium:
- Increases state funding to the DSHS Family Planning Program by $32.1 million in state funding to replace Title X (federal) dollars awarded to the Women's Health and Family Planning Assoc. of Texas (WHFPT).
- Gives the DSHS Primary Health Care Expansion an additional $100 million for the biennium for women's health care. Of the $100 million, 60% is expected to go for family planning services, including contraceptive care, for women.
- Also adds $71.3 million of state funding for the Texas Women's Health Program. Approximately 90% of this is to replace lost federal funding, because of the "Affiliate Ban Rule" enacted in 2011. This funding maintains the Texas Women's Health Program, but shifts the funding source from federal to state dollars.
While we celebrate the restored funding, some concerns remain. The women's health safety net will take time to rebuild, and many specialized family planning providers are excluded. Primary care providers may have difficulty achieving the efficiencies, expertise and geographic reach of the specialized clinics. 
As a member of the Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition, the Healthy Futures Alliance (HFA) advocated for this restored funding. HFA, a San Antonio coalition dedicated to reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy, has both "pro-life" and "pro-choice" members, all are working together on prevention.
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Emergency Contraception - OTC
The FDA has approved the sale of the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step over the counter without age restrictions, in compliance with a federal ruling requiring the agency to do so. The Wall Street Journal reports that Plan B One-Step will likely be available OTC in the next month or so.The approval applies to Plan B One-Step but not generic versions of EC or a two-dose version of the product.
Janet Woodcock -- director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research -- said in the announcement that OTC "access to [EC] products has the potential to further decrease the rate of unintended pregnancies in the United States" (Los Angeles Times, 6/20).
There is a lot of misinformation about emergency contraception. Plan B One-Step is not the abortion pill and works only before fertilization of the egg by the sperm (It prevents fertilization by preventing ovulation-see fact-sheet). It is extremely safe and research shows it does not encourage sexual activity among people of any age. Allowing the OTC sale of Plan B One-Step means it will be more available to women of all ages. Click here to learn the facts about Emergency Contraception.
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HPV infection rates down in adolescent girls
There has been a sharp decline in the prevalence of dangerous strains of the human papillomavirus - the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and a principal cause of cervical cancer. In fact, the rate has dropped by half among teenage girls in recent years, a striking measure of success for a vaccine against the virus that was introduced only in 2006.
The findings, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, covered the years 2003 to 2010 and were based on a national sample that included more than 8,000 girls and women ages 14 to 59.
There are about 12,000 cases of cervical cancer and 4,000 deaths a year in the United States. At current vaccination rates, the vaccine would prevent 45,000 cases of cervical cancer and 14,000 deaths among girls now age 13 and younger over the course of their lifetimes, according to C.D.C. estimates. Increasing the rate to 80 percent could prevent an additional 53,000 cancers and nearly 17,000 deaths.
HPV vaccines are recommended for both boys and girls. The vaccine has been controversial, and some parents worry it promotes promiscuity. Federal officials want to dispel fears about the vaccine, and emphasize its role in preventing cervical cancer. About 79 million Americans, most in their late teens and early 20s, are infected with HPV, or about a quarter of the American population. Each year, about 14 million people become infected. The virus causes about 19,000 cancers in women every year, and 8,000 in men, according to the C.D.C. Cervical cancer is the most common among women; among men, throat cancer is most common.
Read the NY Times article:
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Welcome, Interns!
Healthy Futures extends a warm welcome to our summer interns!
Alexandria Miller
Alex was born and raised in Brookshire, Texas, a small town on the outskirts of Houston. She has lived in San Antonio for the last 5 years. A recent graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.S. in health. Her interests include music and singing. She enjoys spending quiet evenings at home, especially when she can catch a Golden Girls marathon on TV.
Alex has always had a passion for helping people. She chose Healthy Futures because she believes in our mission.
In her own words: "I have seen for myself, the impact of teen pregnancy in my community. I've seen close friends struggle and all I wanted to do was help. Now, I have the opportunity to help young teens before they find themselves in undesirable situations. I want to educate teens about sexual health and encourage them to live their lives to the fullest while they have the chance. I hope to help as many teens as I can, while I can. I hope to encourage them to create a new path of their own, and not follow in the path of someone else."
Deanna Walters
Deanna is a recent graduate of The University of Texas at San Antonio; she is focusing on community health and sexuality education. After she completes her internship, she hopes to enter into this field and help young girls and women. She resides in San Antonio full time and has a 2 year old boxer named Rocco, who she says is "the love of her life".
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Big Decisions Training on July 26!
 Healthy Futures is offering a one-day training on Big Decisions on Friday, July 26, 2013. Big Decisions is an abstinence-plus curriculum that is medically accurate and easy to use. The goal of this training is to prepare teachers, facilitators, health educators, nurses, community health workers and nursing/medical/public health students to effectively facilitate the Big Decisions Sexuality Curriculum. The 10-session curriculum includes lessons on anatomy/reproduction, healthy relationships, contraception, STDs, goals and dreams, and much more! Attendees will also be trained on effective facilitation of sexuality education. When: Friday, July 26, 2013,from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm. Where: Community Room of the Mexican American Unity Council Building (2300 W. Commerce Street, San Antonio, TX, 78207) The registration fee structure is as follows: General Registration- $225 Early Registration - $200 (by July 19th) Student Registration- $135 A Big Decisions curriculum book can be purchased at the training for $75 plus tax. . Big Decisions is compatible with Texas law and has been approved and used in more than 26 Texas school districts. For more information about Big Decisions, visit www.BigDecisions.org. |
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Healthy Futures of Texas is committed to reducing teen pregnancy rates in San Antonio
by providing evidence-based programs to young people and
by providing workshops that empower parents to communicate with their teens about sex.
We advocate for accurate and effective education and for increased access to health services,
and we're working to create a healthy social norm regarding teen sexuality and parenthood.
Help us reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy in San Antonio!
2300 W. Commerce, Ste. 203
San Antonio, Texas, 78207
210.223.4589
info@healthyfuturestx.org
www.HealthyFuturesTX.org
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