MOAPPP December 2005 E-Monthly

Holiday Tribute Gifts to MOAPPP

The gift giving season is around the corner. What better way to acknowledge someone who is important to you this holiday season than by making a tax deductible contribution in their honor to MOAPPP? Your friend, colleague or family member will be sent a timely holiday acknowledgement of your generous and special gift. Give a gift that goes on giving all year… make a tribute gift to MOAPPP today!

Other Holiday Gift Ideas

If you’re stumped for gift ideas for the parents on your list, consider one of the books on MOAPPP’s Parents as Sexuality Educators book list. These books are intended to educate, support and guide parents through the complex task of raising sexually healthy children.

“Call for Presentations” for MOAPPP’s 15^th Annual Conference, May 4-5, 2006

MOAPPP’s 15^th Annual Conference is May 4-5, 2006. The conference brings together over 400 health and social service providers, educators, advocates, and managers who work to prevent adolescent pregnancy and support pregnant and parenting adolescents. The conference offers a variety of keynote speakers and workshops that focus on a broad range of topics related to teen pregnancy prevention and adolescent parents. We invite you to submit a workshop proposal for this next year’s conference.

Policy Intern Wanted!

The primary function of this internship is provide support to MOAPPP’s Policy Coordinator, the MOAPPP Public Policy Committee and the Sex Ed for Life Coalition in the development of advocacy efforts during the 2006 Minnesota Legislative session. This position will also focus on youth advocacy work, creating opportunities for youth to have a voice at the capitol, with school boards and other elected government bodies. The Public Policy intern works directly with the Policy Coordinator. To apply for the MOAPPP Public Policy Internship, contact Leah Sweet at 651-644-1447, ext 12 or [email protected].

In the News

Newly Released Teen Parent Connection Report Card

This report gives the latest statistics on adolescent parents in Hennepin County. It highlights overall trends and gives a profile of teen parents, their service use and place of residence.

90M Girls Worldwide Missing Primary School Education Because of Pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, Other Factors, UNICEF Report Says

About 90 million girls worldwide are not receiving primary school education, compared with 25 million boys, because of factors including HIV/AIDS, early marriage and teen pregnancy, according to a UNICEF report. Read the report on the Kaisernetwork.

Updated Emergency Contraception Resources and Policy Statement

KaiserEDU’s emergency contraception issue module synthesizes the latest data and research on womens’ access to emergency contraceptive pills, including key issues for youth. In addition, Healthy Teen Network unveiled its latest policy statement on emergency contraception for adolescents. They encourage members and affiliates to use this policy to inform the development of state, local and institutional policies and standards. Read the Policy Report and fact sheet online.

New Guide for Latino Faith Communities

Created in partnership with a group of advisors, The National Campaign released a new guide, “Faith, Hope, and Love: How Latino Faith Communities Can Help Prevent Teen Pregnancy,” (PDF) that provides faith leaders serving Latino families ideas to help young people avoid too-early pregnancy and parenthood. Research by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy indicates that teens from religious families and those with friends who regularly attend religious services tend to have sex at later ages compared to teens whose parents have religious beliefs that are not as strong and whose peers don’t attend services as regularly.

Federal Administration Tightens Rules for Abstinence Education Grants

According to the report, “Administration Tightens Rules for Abstinence Education Grants,” the Administration for Children and Families has tightened rules for federally funded abstinence-only education programs. The new guidelines require states to place equal emphasis on all eight elements of their abstinence-only definition, rather than just requiring that programs not act in opposition to any aspect of the definition. In addition, the guidelines explicitly prohibit funding to programs that promote the use of contraceptives.

Two New Research Briefs on HIV Testing & Counseling

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy has available two new “Science Says” research briefs on HIV testing (PDF) and HIV counseling (PDF) for sexually experienced teens. Among the primary findings: Only about one in three sexually experienced teens (aged 15-19) have ever been tested for HIV, sexually experienced teen girls are more likely than sexually experienced teen boys to be tested and only about one-third of sexually experienced teens who are tested for HIV talk to a doctor or other health professional about AIDS after the test.

Majority of Doctors Intend to Recommend HPV Vaccine for Children; Concern Over Parents’ Role Remains, Surveys Say

According to a survey conducted by researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, almost 75% of pediatricians surveyed said that if an HPV vaccine were approved, they would recommend it to patients between the ages of nine and 17. In a survey published on Monday in the Journal of Adolescent Health, more than 40% of the 513 pediatrician participants said they are concerned that parents might not discuss STDs or sexuality with their children, and half of the respondents said they believe parents will be reluctant to vaccinate their children for HPV. For more information, see Kaisernetwork.

Statutory Rape: Sex Between Young Teens and Older Individuals

A newly posted Childtrends DataBank Indicator reports that, among young people ages 15 to 24 in 2002, 13 percent of females and 5 percent of males stated that their first sexual experience occurred at age 15 or younger with an individual who was three or more years older. These relationships are associated with risky sexual behaviors that could lead to unintended pregnancy and childbearing, as well as to sexually transmitted infections.

Sexual Risk and Protective Factors: Factors Affecting Teen Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy, Childbearing and Sexually Transmitted Disease

Recapp (ETR’s Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention) released an analysis by Douglas Kirby, Ph.D., Gina Lepore, B.A., and Jennifer Ryan, M.A., of the more than 400 factors that can affect teen sexual behavior. By identifying and targeting those factors that both affect adolescents’ decisions about sex and can be changed by interventions, the chances of reducing sexual risk-taking among teens are greatly improved. Readers can review and download the executive summary (PDF), the entire document (PDF), and a matrix listing all 400+ risk and protective factors (PDF).

Respect Yourself. Protect Yourself. Condom Campaign Contest

To get the word out that condoms do protect against HIV and many other sexually transmitted infections, Advocates for Youth and Sex Etc. have created a Condom Campaign Contest with awards up to $500 and have developed an online creative tool that young people can use in the contest. Contest entrants must be between the ages of 15 and 24. For more information, visit: Advocates for Youth.

MOAPPP Events

December 11, 2005
AFFIRM: An Event for Adolescent Girls and the Adults in Their Lives

1:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Sabes Jewish Community Center (JCC), St. Louis Park

AFFIRM, sponsored by NCJW in partnership with schools and organizations throughout the Twin Cities, is an event for 6^th – 8^th grade girls and the important adults in their lives. This year’s program focuses on a number of key issues in girls’ lives, including Fitting In: How to deal with popularity, jealousy and mean girls; Fitting It All In: How to deal with stress and over-scheduling; and When Nothing Fits: How to deal with media pressures and body image. For more information and registration, go to www.ncjwmpls.org.

February 8, 2006
Making Sense of Abstinence Training

For more information and registration, go to MOAPPP.org.

May 4-5, 2006
MOAPPPs 15^th Annual Conference

Earle Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn Center.

Join the Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting (MOAPPP) for two days of stimulating speakers, workshops, and opportunities to network with colleagues from around the state. Registration information will be available in February of 2006. For more information, please contact [email protected].

May 11, 2006
MOAPPP Annual Benefit Event

Save the date for MOAPPP’s annual benefit event which will be a celebration of MOAPPP’s fifteen years of adolescent pregnancy prevention in Minnesota. This will be an event not-to-be-missed!

Other Events

January 13, 2006
Q-Quest Youth Fest

12noon – 8pm
Perpich Center for Arts Education, Golden Valley, MN.

The first annual Q-Quest Youth Fest conference has been planned by and designed for GLBTQ youth and their allies to: explore personal identity and voice within a diverse culture, plan for the future, make connections with other youth to think and create and celebrate ‘being young’. The conference is free. There will be entertainment, a dance, art space, an open mike and workshops devoted to youth empowerment. Please register in advance. For details and a registration form visit www.mnschoolhealth.com.

January 23-24, 2006
Fatherhood Summit

St. Cloud Civic Center, St. Cloud

The 3^rd annual Minnesota Fatherhood & Family Services Summit will host one-and-a-half days of workshops, exhibit booths, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities. Anyone interested in working with fathers and families should plan to attend. Registration information and the conference agenda are available online at www.mnfathers.org or request a hard copy by calling (612) 787-4091.

May 3, 2006
5th Annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Sponsored by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and National Day founding partners Teen People magazine and TeenPeople.com, the National Day is designed to focus the attention of teens on the importance of avoiding teen pregnancy and other consequences of sex. Visit www.teenpregnancy.org.