News
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancies is accepting grant applications
The goal of this grant announcement is to increase the presence and profile of pregnancy
planning and prevention in a wide range of settings where many teens—especially older
teens 18 and 19—are already found. Relevant activities include but are not limited to colocating
services, new cooperative agreements, joint staff training, and developing of new
materials (including online materials) that can be used in a range of systems and services.
In addition, we will consider other ideas that applicants feel hold strong promise for
reducing teen pregnancy. Although our main focus is outlined directly above, we
recognize that colleagues nationwide may wish to suggest quite different approaches.
We welcome them.
Successful applicants will demonstrate that their ideas and proposed activities:
- Are anchored in the relevant science and data;
- Include good measurement metrics so that the activity can be tracked and a reasonable assessment can be made of its probable value and results;
- Have the potential to attract additional public or private resources and funding either as part of the proposed activity itself or in the future; and
- Are likely to be useful in other communities and will contribute to nation-wide learning about how to make progress on reducing teen pregnancy.
Preference will be given to organizations whose proposed project meets at least one of
the following:
- Focuses on disconnected youth (typically defined as those not in school and not working), Latino youth or other populations with high rates including Native American youth or youth in or aging out of foster care;
- Centers on older teens 18 and 19 years of age;
- Engages community colleges;
- Engages young men as well as young women;
- Is a truly innovative idea.
For more information, click here.
President’s Budget Eliminates Funding for Effective Abstinence Education Programs
Washington, DC (May 7, 2009) — Today’s release of the 2010 Budget by the White House disregards the growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of abstinence education. Unfortunately, the president’s budget ignores research that documents a 50% decrease in sexual onset among teens that are enrolled in abstinence programs.
According to Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA), “At a time when teens are subjected to an increasingly sexualized culture, it is essential that common-sense legislators from both sides of the aisle reject this extreme attempt to defund the only approach that removes all risk. Members of Congress would be well advised to listen to youth and parents in their districts who overwhelmingly support these valuable programs.”
Research and evaluation are called upon to validate effective approaches to improve sexual health outcomes. As noted in the new NAEA report: Abstinence Works 2009:Abstinence-Centered Programs that Reduce Teen Sex, we must objectively look at what effectively reaches America’s teens. The report cites 40 studies indicating significant success in predicting and/or showing positive behavioral change.
“Not one school based Comprehensive Sex Education program has demonstrated compelling evidence of decreasing STDs or teen pregnancy, nor of increasing consistent condom usage among students for a meaningful time period. If the President is truly interested in funding only programs that work, there is not sufficient evidence to either increase funding for comprehensive sex education programs, nor to eliminate the funding for abstinence education” states Dr. Stan Weed, noted expert on sex education and president of The Institute for Research and Evaluation. This evidence was reported at a well-attended Congressional Briefing last week.
“With seemingly plausible intentions, this budget places rhetoric over reality by ignoring clear and compelling evidence that abstinence education does work”, adds Huber.
About NAEA:
The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) is comprised of leading abstinence educators and supporters who represent 1.5 million children across the U.S. For more information: http://www.abstinenceassociation.org
To schedule an interview with NAEA Executive Director Valerie Huber, please contact Rachel Turner at 404-285-1876
Action Alert: Obama Cuts Abstinence Education from 2010 Budget
President Obama released his budget today in which he voiced his intention to cut abstinence education programs - both Title V and CBAE and replace them with comprehensive sex education programs.
Today’s release by the administration states:
“The Budget supports State, community-based, and faith-based efforts to reduce teen pregnancy using evidence based models. The program will fund models that stress the importance of abstinence while providing medically-accurate and age-appropriate information to youth who have already become sexually active.”
If these standards are objectively applied, abstinence education programs would qualify; however a respected source indicated that the administration does not expect abstinence programs to qualify for the newly proposed program. This begs the question: “Does ideology trump science-based evidence in the president’s request?”
An overview of the President’s proposal is outlined in this afternoon’s Wall Street Journal article. NAEA is quoted in the article. Read more here.
What Does Today’s Action Mean?
1. A Presidential budget proposal is never identical to the budget that is passed by Congress. In other words, just because the President favors an end to abstinence education does not necessarily mean that it will end.
2. The FY 2009 funds allocated for CBAE must be used as intended by Congress. HHS continuation letters for current CBAE grantees should be received very soon, indicating that FY 2009 monies will continue funding current grantees through September 30, 2010.
What Should You Do?
1. Use new NAEA resources to let your policy makers, school board members, and stakeholders know that abstinence works:
- Visit the new NAEA website, Abstinence Works (AW), which sets the record straight on research that informs the sex education debate. (www.AbstinenceWorks.org).
- A new report, Abstinence Works 2009 identifies 40 studies that demonstrate significant behavioral impact or significant impact on factors predictive of behavior change. (This resource is available for ordering on the AW website.)
- A new study by prominent youth risk behavior researcher, Dr. Stan Weed, which places comprehensive sex education and abstinence education on a similar grid and finds that there is more behavioral impact for abstinence education. (This presentation is available on the AW website.)
2. Contact your Members of Congress today to let them know you want them to support teen sexual health by supporting abstinence education funding. Contact your House Member here. Contact your Senator here.
3. Collect stories and quotes from parents and teens as to the value of abstinence education in their communities. Send these to NAEA at info@naea1.org.