Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Advisory Committee Meetings
Quarterly meetings at the Jackson County Health Department, Room 248

NEXT MEETING Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

2010-2015 Strategic Action Plan

(Click image to download file)

.What is Abstinence Education?
• Form of sex education that teaches abstinence as the most effective method (100%) of preventing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease.
• Abstinence from sex means not participating in anal, oral, vaginal sex and other forms of sexual activity
• Providing young people with education, knowledge, and skills to set boundaries for themselves; to refuse peer pressure around sex; to have age appropriate and medically accurate information; and to be able to abstain from sexual activity.

What does Abstinence Education Look Like in Jackson County?
• The Jackson County Health Department (JCHD) receives funding from the Michigan Abstinence Program of the Michigan Department of Community Health to provide intense (14+ hours) intervention to young people aged 10-15 in our community.

The programming offered by JCHD includes:

Puberty and Healthy Relationships Education in sixth grades within Jackson Public Schools:

15 hours of classroom intervention
Utilizes the “Puberty the Wonder Years” curriculum and “The WAIT Training” curriculum
Lesson concepts include: puberty changes, anatomy, fetal development, parenting, std’s, emotions and relationships, friendship, love languages, healthy relationships, communication, decision making, peer pressure, setting boundaries, and goals and dreams

Summer Programming through the Get REAL Program targeted in the south side neighborhoods of the City of Jackson:

Six week program that meets three days/week for two hours each day
Program components include educational sessions, field trips, guest speakers, an overnight retreat, and a parent celebration
Program is free to participants and is targeted at 10-14 year old youth from the south side neighborhoods in the City of Jackson
Lesson/program concepts include hopes and dreams, relationships, the truth about std’s and HIV, positive attitude, financial health, teen pregnancy and parenting, dating, abusive relationships, self expression, and physical fitness and good health

Education, Information and Resources for Parents on how to communicate with their children about sex and sexual health

Resources and information for the community at large on abstinence, teen pregnancy prevention, parenting, sexual health, and healthy relationships

Abstinence subcommittee of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative that is open to any and all interested community members.

Why Do We Need Abstinence Education in Jackson County?
• We utilize abstinence education and programming when working with younger youth in our community. It is a realistic method to use for our target population

• Abstinence education is an important step on the continuum of sex education and a strong piece of larger teen pregnancy prevention efforts in our community
• Abstinence is the ultimate message we want for our young people. It is the only 100% way to prevent pregnancy and std’s.
• Messages we send through abstinence efforts include: Hope for their future; truth about what is happening to their bodies as they go through puberty; understanding of what to expect in adolescence; and life skills such as good communication, strong decision making, and effective refusal skills
• We believe that young people should embrace their sexual health. It should be a natural, healthy and positive aspect of life and not something to be feared.

What difference Do Parents Make in Regard to Sex Education/Abstinence Education?
• Research overwhelmingly shows that parents have a tremendous impact on the sexual decision making of their teens
• Parents are the BEST educators for their children.
• Young people who feel highly connected to their parents and report their parents as warm, caring and supportive are far more likely to delay sexual activity than their peers
• Parents in our community consistently say that they want their children to be taught about reproductive health and other risky behaviors. They also report that they want the information to be shared with their children while they are young, before they are sexually active.

What can Parents Do?
• Reach out to, and connect with, their children before they adopt risky behaviors
• Talk early
• Talk often
• Create an open environment
• Communicate your own values
• Listen
• Be honest
• Be patient
• Talk about it…again…and again…and again
• Use teachable moments (tv shows, music, movies, conversations)
• Supervise your children…know their friends…know what they are doing
• Spend time with your child
• Sample Conversation Starters: (adapted from www.ahaparenting.com)

Love, Sex & Marriage
*At what age do you think people can fall in love? At what age should people marry?
*Do you think people should be married to have sex? If not, how should they decide whether they’re ready?
*What do you think changes when you have sex?
*How do you think love is different in real life than it is in the movies?
* What would be most important to you in looking for a spouse?
* Do you think any of the kids at school are not virgins? What do you think about that?
*Do kids at your school actually “date”? What do you think about the idea of “friends with benefits”? Does the girl benefit as much as the guy? Do you think girls and guys have the same needs from sex and relationships?
*Do you know anyone who’s gay? Does anyone treat them differently? What do you think about that?
*Why do you think people get divorced? How do you think it affects the kids?

Resources:
Website Links: