MOAPPP 18th Annual Conference takes place on Thursday and Friday, May 7-8. We look forward to seeing you there for two days of dynamic speakers, challenging workshops and countless opportunities for networking and conversation. For more information about the conference, visit the conference page.
Thanks to these generous sponsors for their support of our 18th Annual Conference!
Silver Sponsor
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Funding made possible in part by cooperative agreement #5U58DP524993-04
Bronze Sponsors
Children’s Trust Fund, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Maternal and Child Health Section, Minnesota Department of Health
Purple Sponsors
Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Health Program, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota
Greater Twin Cities United Way
HealthPartners
Healthy Youth Development-Prevention Research Center, Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Education
Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support
Minnesota Institute of Public Health
Q Health Services
Sexual Violence Prevention Program, Minnesota Department of Health
2009 Minnesota Adolescent Sexual Health Report Now Available
This report is a summary of the sexual health of Minnesota’s adolescents and uses the most current data available. The report provides information on key sexual health indicators, such as pregnancy and birth statistics, STI/HIV, health disparities, low birth weight and prenatal care, sexual activity and other risk and protective factors in a brief and easy-to-read format. A copy of this report (PDF) is available on our website.
May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month – Engage, Encourage, Equip
It’s not too late to engage young people in conversation as a trusted adult. Encourage them to participate in the National Day Quiz, and to invite a friend to take the quiz as well. The Quiz is available at www.stayteen.org/quiz, and will be available all month long. Equip young people by reserving a computer for them to take the quiz. Questions? Call Jocelyn at 651-644-1447 x19 or [email protected].
Save the Date! Wednesday, June 10, 2009 for MOAPPP’s Annual Benefit
Join other MOAPPP supporters at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant for amazing food by premier chef Jack Riebel, and musical entertainment by Ronn Easton’s All Star Soul Revue, featuring the music of legends like The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Four Tops, The O’Jays, Brothers Johnson, and many, many more all-time magic Motown favorites.
Invitations coming soon. We’re already tapping our toes in anticipation!
MOAPPP’s Strategic Plan
MOAPPP’s Board of Directors recently approved our new strategic plan to guide our work through 2011. We invite you to review the new plan, which includes updates to our vision, mission and guiding principles.
Other Announcements
MDH Reports 326 New HIV/AIDS Cases in 2008
Reported new cases of HIV infection in Minnesota reached 326 in 2008 compared to 325 new cases in 2007 and 318 in 2006, according to a new report from the Minnesota Department of Health. Of particular concern, increases were seen among young males, ages 13-24. Eighteen percent of all new cases in Minnesota were in adolescents and young adults.
To view the full report from the Minnesota Department of Health, visit their webpage. At the national level, a new public awareness campaign has been launched, “Act against AIDS,” to encourage testing, reduce risky behaviors and provide awareness on the impact of HIV/AIDS: www.NineAndaHalfMinutes.org.
In response, MOAPPP joins the Department of Health in promoting the new CDC public awareness campaign, “Act against AIDS,” that encourages testing, reducing risky behaviors and providing awareness on the impact of HIV/AIDS.
Participate in the Gender Inclusive Sexuality Education Survey
The Gender Inclusive Sexuality Education (GISE) workgroup wants to know what you think! This group plans to offer workshops and trainings to youth-serving professionals, and seeks your input to help them tailor training opportunities specific to your needs. The survey takes less than five minutes to complete. Thank you for your participation!
A Policy Platform to Promote Health and Success Among Young Families
Healthy Teen Network recently released A Policy Platform to Promote Health and Success among Young Families. The report offers a set of federal policy recommendations aimed at establishing or reforming programs and systems that influence whether or not young families achieve health and success after a teen birth. The full report, executive summary, and supporting materials are available for viewing and download at Healthy Teen Network’s website.
May 18 is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
Despite much research, there still is not a vaccine for HIV/AIDS. All Americans, especially communities of color and men who have sex with men, need to learn more about HIV vaccine research in order to make an HIV vaccine a reality. This awareness day provides a great opportunity to thank the thousands of people who are working to help find an HIV preventive vaccine-the clinical trial volunteers, health professionals, community members and researchers. To find an HIV testing center near you, send a text message with your zip code to KNOWIT (566948). To learn more about HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, visit http://hhs.gov.
For Youth
Answer Launches New Sex Ed Advocacy Portal for Teens
Answer at Rutgers University has launched “Your Voice, Your Rights”—the new advocacy portal on its award-winning Sex Etc. website. The “Your Voice, Your Rights” portal allows teens to create profiles where they can upload photos and video, tell their sex ed stories and talk about the sexual health issues that matter to them.
Advocates for Youth High School and Campus Organizing Teams
Every year, staff from Advocates for Youth work with high school and college students who are organizing at their schools for sexual and reproductive health rights. Applications to become an organizing team are due May 15, 2009.
The High School Organizing Team works with Advocates for Youth’s staff to ensure that their high school provides comprehensive sex education. The High School Organizers also work with Advocates for Youth to advocate for comprehensive sex education with local, state and federal policy makers and conduct media outreach.
The Campus Organizing Team partners with Advocates for Youth in serving as activists, advocates, and spokespeople on issues of adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
In the News
FDA To Allow Sale of Plan B Emergency Contraception to 17-Year-Olds
The Federal Food and Drug Association recently announced expanded access to over the counter Plan B Emergency Contraception. These changes will allow women and men ages 17 and older to obtain the drug at pharmacies, hospitals and clinics after showing proof of age. Read more at the National Partnership for Women and Families.
New Resources
New Resource for Use with Somali Immigrants and Refugees
Minnesota International Health Volunteers has created a new resources, Providing Culturally Appropriate Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services to Somali Immigrants and Refugees: A Reference Guide. This easy-to-use, 30-page guide is for health professionals who provide reproductive health services to the Somali community. It covers information on the Somali community in Minnesota, concepts in culturally competent health care and reproductive health trends and beliefs. Booklets are provided free-of-charge at the MIHV website.
Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation’s Schools
This report (PDF) from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is the first comprehensive study on transgender students. Nearly nine out of 10 transgender students experienced verbal harassment at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation and gender expression, more than half experienced physical harassment because of their sexual orientation and gender expression and more than a quarter experienced physical assault because of their sexual orientation and gender expression.
School Connectedness – Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth
Research has shown that young people who feel connected to their school are less likely to engage in many risk behaviors, including early sexual initiation. To help schools enhance this important protective factor, CDC scientists have created a guide that synthesizes available research on school connectedness and outlines strategies for fostering it.
New Research
- Experiencing Childhood Emotional Abuse Predicts Dating Violence
- Exposure to Severe Partner Violence Predicts Violence in Future Relationships
- Relationship between Drug Use and STDs in Juvenile Arrestees
- Maternal Age Associated with Higher Risk of Child Maltreatment
- Sexual Victimization Impairs Important Aspects of Adolescent Females’ Sexual and Contraceptive Self-Efficacy
- Teen Pregnancy Associated with Childhood Sexual Abuse
- Adolescent Pregnancy Boosts Girls’ Risk of Becoming Overweight
- Unwanted or Mistimed Pregnancy Associated with Depression Among First-Time Fathers
- Youth Benefit From Strong Families Regardless of Income
Experiencing Childhood Emotional Abuse Predicts Dating Violence
According to a Canadian study published in Child Abuse and Neglect, male and female adolescents who experienced emotional abuse (i.e. demeaning and hurtful verbal attacks) as children were more likely to be involved in violent dating relationships. Recommendations for practitioners who work with young people are included.
Exposure to Severe Partner Violence Predicts Violence in Future Relationships
According to a longitudinal prospective study in New York (Rochester Youth Development Study), adolescents living in families in which severe partner violence occurred were more likely to be involved in violent relationships themselves as young adults. This study highlights the importance of education efforts around healthy relationships.
Relationship between Drug Use and STDs in Juvenile Arrestees
A study of male and female juvenile offenders who had been arrested indicates that those who engaged in behaviors associated with risk for STD/HIV were more likely than lower risk offenders to have an STD, test positive for marijuana and cocaine, and to be charged with a serious offense. Prevention and intervention implications of these findings are discussed.
Maternal Age Associated with Higher Risk of Child Maltreatment
A large longitudinal study conducted in Chicago showed strong relationship between age of mother and risk of child abuse: the younger a mother was at her child’s birth, the greater the risk for abuse. For every year that the mother’s age increased, there were significant reductions in the likelihood of maltreatment. Findings suggest that prevention programs may need to target select populations and specific mechanisms associated with different types of maltreatment to maximize effectiveness.
Sexual Victimization Impairs Important Aspects of Adolescent Females’ Sexual and Contraceptive Self-Efficacy
A Canadian study found that childhood sexual abuse was negatively associated with adolescent’s perceived ability to communicate about her sexuality and contraceptive practices. Sexual coercion in dating relationships was negatively associated with the adolescent’s perceived ability to communicate about her sexuality and contraception, her perceived control over her sexual activity, and her perceived control over her use of contraceptives in passionate situations. This study has implications for the importance of screening for childhood sexual abuse, and for interventions around contraceptive use for those who were abused.
Teen Pregnancy Associated with Childhood Sexual Abuse
In a review of 13 studies on teen parents, it was found that nine of them indicated a significant relationship between teen pregnancy and prior childhood sexual abuse. Strategies for nurses to identify pregnant and parenting adolescents who have been sexually victimized are important for early intervention. Resiliency factors of young people who report positive outcomes are highlighted.
Adolescent Pregnancy Boosts Girls’ Risk of Becoming Overweight
New research shows that young women who give birth during adolescence and young adulthood are at greater risk of becoming overweight than their peers who don’t get pregnant. Read the abstract. This study has implications for home visiting and teen parent programs.
Unwanted or Mistimed Pregnancy Associated with Depression Among First-Time Fathers
This study finds that unwanted or mistimed pregnancy is associated with higher levels of depression among fathers and with lower mother-father relationship happiness. These factors, in turn, are associated with poorer co-parenting, lower levels of support between mother and father and higher co-parental conflict when children are infants. Paternal depression and the mother-father relationship are important factors for understanding fathers’ later co-parenting.
Youth Benefit From Strong Families Regardless of Income
A new Child Trends brief (PDF), Exploring The Links Between Family Strengths and Adolescent Outcomes finds that family strengths are associated with significantly better outcomes for adolescents in both lower-income and higher-income families. Family strengths include emotional/subjective strengths (such as close and caring parents); behavioral/concrete strengths (for example, parental monitoring and parent involvement); and passive parenting strengths (for instance, positive parental role modeling).
MOAPPP Events
June 18, 2009
Becoming Indispensable: Ensuring Program Sustainability
9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Wilder Center
451 Lexington Pkwy North, St. Paul
$50 MOAPPP Member/$85 Non-member
Now that you’ve implemented an effective adolescent pregnancy prevention program, how can you ensure it is sustainable over time? This training, led by Tom Klaus from Advocates for Youth, Washington, D.C., examines how program and organizational sustainability are interconnected; how evaluation results can build community and financial support; and the optimal conditions necessary for programs to continue beyond the life of their original funding. This session is designed for executive directors, program managers and Board members from community-based organizations. For more information and to register for this training, see the flyer and registration form (PDF). Questions? Contact Jill Farris at 651-644-1447 x18 or [email protected].
June 19, 2009
What About the Baby? Nurturing Healthy Attachment in Young Families
9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Rochester Community and Technical College
Coffman Hall 206/208, 851 SE 30th Avenue, Rochester
$50 MOAPPP Member/$85 Non-member
$15 for local public health staff working in (MDH) Family Home Visiting programs
Early learning happens in the context of relationships. This workshop focuses on the importance of relationship between adolescent parents and their children and between young families and the professionals who work with them. It offers insight into the strengths and challenges faced by young parents, the competing developmental agendas of adolescent parents and their children, and strategies for promoting relationships that lead to the healthy development of both parent and child. (This workshop has been offered in the past under the title Relationship Matters). For more information and to register for this training, see the flyer and registration form (PDF). Questions? Contact Sue Fust at 651-644-1447 x15 or [email protected].
June 23-24, 2009
It’s That Easy: The Caring Adult’s Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children
8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Sawmill Inn of Grand Rapids
2301 South Pokegama Avenue, Grand Rapids
$50 MOAPPP Member/$85 Non-member
If you work with parents/caregivers of children birth to 18, you are in a unique position to support them in their critical role as sexuality educators for their children. However, sexuality is not always easy to discuss. Come learn tools and techniques to engage parents/caregivers in developmentally appropriate approaches to raising sexually healthy children. Participants receive the It’s That Easy manual, a comprehensive guide designed to help you work with parents in your community. For more information, see the event registration form (PDF). Questions? Contact Jocelyn Broyles at 651-644-1447 x19, [email protected]. Scholarships are available.
Special acknowledgements to our partners for their dedication to this project: Healthy Youth Development–Prevention Research Center-U of MN, Health Start/West Side Community Health Services, Saint Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health, Sexual Violence Prevention Program-MN Department of Health, Teen Age Medical Service, West Suburban Teen Clinic, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota International Health Volunteers.
June 24, 2009
Engaging Boys: Practical Strategies for Promoting the Sexual Health of Young Men
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Wilder Center
451 Lexington Pkwy North, St. Paul
$50 MOAPPP Member/$85 Non-member
This workshop weaves youth development principles with best practices from around the country for engaging young men on issues of sexual health and responsibility. This highly interactive session, led by Chuck Marquardt from the California Family Health Council, Inc., explores the impact of conflicting social messages about masculinity, creative approaches for involving boys in pregnancy prevention and practical strategies for modifying services to engage young men. For more information and to register for this training, see the flyer and registration form (PDF). Questions? Contact Jill Farris at 651-644-1447 x18 or [email protected].
July 20–July 22, 2009
Making Proud Choices! Training of Educators
July 20–21: 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
July 22 : 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Minnesota Department of Education
1500 Highway 36 West, Roseville
$150 MOAPPP Member/$185 Non-member
Making Proud Choices! is an 8-module curriculum for use by school districts, faith communities and community organizations that provides adolescents with the knowledge, confidence and skills to reduce their risk of STI/HIV and pregnancy. This curriculum, designed for youth ages 11-13, emphasizes waiting to have sex or using condoms if young people choose to have sex. In addition to the 2 ½ days of highly interactive training, each participant receives a copy of the Making Proud Choices! curriculum, an activity set and video clips. For more information and to register, see the flyer and event registration form. Questions? Contact Jill Farris at 651-644-1447 x18 or [email protected].
July 27–29, 2009 (July 30 for graduate students)
2009 Summer Institute in Adolescent Health
Social and Emotional Health for All Young People: Expanding Approaches
Minnesota Department of Health, Snelling Office Park, St Paul
Cost: $250
At the 2009 Summer Institute in Adolescent Health, learn strategies for enhancing supportive environments and fostering skills for social and emotional health for all young people. Gather ideas for adding to what’s already working, whether in a community clinic or youth program, at school or after-school, within a residential center or a juvenile justice setting. Practice skills for selecting optimal approaches for reaching young people, all of whom we hope are on healthy social and emotional pathways to adulthood.
Sponsored by the Center for Adolescent Nursing, University of MN, School of Nursing. Co-sponsored by Coordinated School Health, MN Department of Education; Healthy Youth Development-Prevention Research Center and Konopka Institute, Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of MN; Maternal and Child Health Section, MN Department of Health; and MOAPPP.
Coalition for Responsible Sex Ed Events
No Coalition events for May.
Other Events
Parenting With No Workshop
May 9-Rochester
August 17-Moorhead
October 20-Minneapolis
November 6-St. Cloud
Parenting with No, a new workshop from MediaWise with featured speaker, Dr. David Walsh, delivers practical, hands-on training based on key messages and strategies from the bestselling book, “No, Why Kids—of All Ages—Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It” which sparked a statewide movement, Say Yes to No. The workshop is designed for parents as well as teachers, early childhood professionals, social workers, parent educators and health care providers. Optional leader’s training is included and continuing education credits will be available. For more information or to register, visit www.sayyestono.org.
May 28, 2009
Adolescent Sexual Health: Engaging Parents in Sexual Health Decision Making
11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join Health Care Education and Training (HCET) for this webinar, which will discuss the status of teen pregnancy and childbearing in the U.S. with a focus on the role of parental involvement in adolescent healthcare and sexual health decision making. Register at www.hcet.org.
Summer Courses offered at University of Minnesota Family Education
*CI5900-Sec 103 – Why Do Teens Act That Way? A Guide for Family Educators (1 credit)
Registration # 93522
Instructor: David Walsh
Tuesday, June 09, 2009, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
This course will describe the major features of adolescent brain development and explain how they influence the behavior of preteens and teens. Risk taking, impulsiveness, moodiness, problems with communication, changing sleep patterns, and many other typical traits are all due to the changes taking place in the adolescent brain. In addition, this course will explore the needs of adolescents and strategies for parents and teachers to help teens survive and thrive during this dynamic developmental stage.
*CI5900-Sec 005 – Fatherhood (1 credit-online course)
Registration # 91814
Instructor: Chris Buzzetta
Saturday, July 4, 2009 to Friday, August 7, 2009
Online Chat: Thursdays 7:00 p.m.–7:45 p.m.
The course explores unique aspects of the father-child relationship and the important role fathers play in child development. Participants will explore: attachment, topics of diversity and changing perspectives on masculinity and gender roles. They will also discover ways the father-child relationship can be fostered within educational settings. This class consists of 5 weekly modules.
If you have any questions about registering for these courses, contact onestop student services at 612-624-1111. If you would like to learn more about these courses or other courses and programs offered in Family, Youth and Community, contact Heather Cline at or 612-624-1294.
June 15–16, 2009
Minnesota Early Intervention 2009 Summer Institute: Evidence-based Practices Revisited
St. John’s University, Collegeville
The Minnesota Early Intervention Summer Institute is a unique professional development opportunity provided to the early childhood field through sponsorship by the Minnesota Department of Education. Gain new insights and develop new skills for your work with young children and families. For more information and to register, visit http://cehd.umn.edu.