In This Issue:

$1.1 Billion in Teen Pregnancy Tax Costs

Texas #1: $1.1 Billion in Teen Pregnancy Tax Costs

While the personal costs associated with teens having children are well known, the public costs are less so. According to new data from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the financial costs from teen pregnancy result from public health care (Medicaid and CHIP), child welfare costs, and lost tax revenue.

The cost of teen pregnancy to federal, state, and local taxpayers in 2010 was $9.4 billion. Of all the states, Texas had the highest public costs: $1.1 billion (The Public Cost of Teen Childbearing in Texas in 2010).

Due to the nearly one-half decline in the teen birth rate between 1991 and 2010, taxpayers actually saved $12 billion dollars in 2010.

While the rate of teen childbearing has decreased, these financial implications are a reminder that there is still much work to be done. It remains true that nearly 3 in 10 U.S. girls will get pregnant by the age of 20. It is estimated that, for every child born to a teen mother, there is $1,682 in costs to taxpayers each year from birth to age 15.

It is in the interest of both young people and the entire public to continue educating youth regarding sexual health, contraception, and healthy decision making. The financial impact on society is only one of the reasons that we at Healthy Futures of Texas are passionate about reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy, in order to build stronger communities and healthier families.

San Antonio is Stronger Together

Victoria Aguirre shares her dreams for 2020

This year, the San Antonio community came together on May 7th for the Stronger Together Press Conference, where San Antonio teens presented their artwork representing their goals and dreams for the future.

The month of May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention month. The month is a time to share the progress made in the prior year, collaborate to move forward, and educate the public on the work towards a lower teen pregnancy rate. In 2010, the San Antonio community came together to envision a healthier San Antonio and set the goals for SA2020. One goal was to lower the teen pregnancy rate in San Antonio by 15% by the year 2020.

In just three short years, the San Antonio Teen Pregnancy Prevention Collaborative (SATPPC) has helped our community to achieve and surpass our goal. While this achievement is definitely a cause for celebration, there is still work to be done. The SATPPC has revised the goal to a total reduction in teen pregnancy by 25% by 2020. Healthy Futures of Texas is proud to be a member of the SATPPC.

When the community comes together, we are stronger together. Alongside the SATPPC, we all can work towards a healthier San Antonio, so that our youth can protect their dreams.

Mission Not (Yet) Accomplished

The nation's youth have spoken, and the results indicate that teens aren't getting the education that they need. According to a recent survey from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, approximately 40% of teens say that they have never thought about what their life would be like if they were to get pregnant or cause a pregnancy. Fully 6 in 10 African American and Hispanic youth have not thought about how a pregnancy might affect them personally.

Furthermore, the majority of adults agree with young people that more efforts to prevent teen pregnancy are needed in their community. Whether it be education about abstinence, contraception, and condom use, or whether it be decreasing the barriers to contraception use, adults agree that more needs to be done:

In San Antonio, we ARE doing more. Healthy Futures of Texas is working with Metro Health and the Bexar County Health Collaborative to deliver effective programs to all middle schools in the San Antonio and Edgewood Independent School Districts with federal funding from the Medicaid 1115 Waiver. UT Teen Health, Girls Inc., Baptist Child and Family Services, Martinez Street Women's Center, San Antonio Youth for Christ, and UT Health's Prevention Research Center are additional members of the San Antonio Teen Pregnancy Prevention Collaborative (SATPPC), which is the organization leading SA2020 collective impact efforts in teen pregnancy prevention.

Healthy Futures also offers evidence-based programs for parents, to help them communicate with and develop parenting skills for their middle-school-age children. In addition, we provide effective programs for youth in other San Antonio agencies, including Municipal Court and the Walzem YMCA.

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 St., Ste. 203/204

San Antonio, Texas, 78207

210.223.4589

info@hf-tx.org

HF-TX.org