MOAPPP November 2009 E-Monthly

“Give to the Max” via McKnight and GiveMN.ORG on November 17

MOAPPP has received a challenge grant from the McKnight Foundation for its work to improve life outcomes for very young families by raising awareness of fathers’ important role in the lives of their children. For every dollar MOAPPP raises by December 31, 2009 for our Teen Father project, the McKnight Foundation will match a dollar – up to $20,000.

Additionally, on November 17, every donation made to MOAPPP through our page at GiveMN.org, (a new online giving destination) will receive a portion of a $500,000 match.* MOAPPP will designate any gifts from this portal on that day to the Teen Father project.

Please help us toward our goal, and share this link with colleagues, family and friends.

*Every dollar donated to MOAPPP through the Give to the Max Day program will be supplemented by a portion of the $500,000 match. The exact amount matched per dollar donated will be determined after Give to the Max Day concludes. For instance: if Give to the Max Day inspires $500,000 in donations to Minnesota non-profits overall, GiveMN.org will provide $1 in matching funds per dollar donated; if Give to the Max Day inspires $1,000,000 million in donations, GiveMN.org will provide $0.50 in matching funds per dollar donated.

Call for Exhibitors for MOAPPP’s 19th Annual Conference, May 6 – 7, 2010

Please join us as an exhibitor for the 19th Annual MOAPPP Conference, May 6-7, 2010 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. The MOAPPP Conference convenes approximately 400 social service and health care providers, educators, advocates, program directors and youth who work to promote adolescent sexual health, prevent adolescent pregnancy, HIV and STIs, and support pregnant and parenting teens in Minnesota. Visit the conference page of the MOAPPP website for more information and an application.

Remembering Judy Ojeda

We were deeply saddened to learn that former MOAPPP staff member, Judy Ojeda, died in October after a brief illness. Judy was MOAPPP’s Latino Outreach Coordinator for five years, and was instrumental in bringing the Plain Talk initiative to St. Paul. She worked closely with the Latino and Hmong communities to support adults in becoming stronger advocates for young people’s sexual health.

Judy was a strong advocate for her community, and had a remarkable ability to bring people from all walks of life together to work toward a common goal. She was also fiercely dedicated to her family. We hold all of her loved ones in our thoughts and prayers.

Visit Judy’s Caring Bridge site for information about the family’s memorial fund.

Thank you, Judy, for sharing your light with us for so many years.

Do You Work with Adolescent Moms or Dads?

If so, you should know that MOAPPP produces a monthly E-Newsletter especially for you. It’s chock full of valuable resources, research information, policy alerts and trainings. If you are not receiving the Adolescent Parent E-Newsletter, please click here to sign up now!

Other Announcements

Increase in New HIV Diagnoses in Minnesota Continues Trend

In August, the Minnesota Department of Health reported on a 24% overall increase in the number of new HIV diagnoses for the first half of 2009 compared to the same time period in 2008. An analysis of the 2009 data through the third quarter (January – September) shows that this trend has continued. Of particular note:

The number of cases diagnosed among adolescents and young adults (ages 15 – 24) will be up compared to last year. In 2008, there were a total of 59 new cases diagnosed in this age group. Between January and September 2009 there were reports of 75 new cases, a 27 percent increase over the 2008 total numbers.
While this increase affects both males and females, it is greater among young men, particularly among young men who have sex with men (MSM).
Overall numbers are up by 25 percent and if the trend continues through the fourth quarter, it will be the highest number of new diagnoses since 1992.

MDH has responded to this increase by taking steps to expand HIV prevention and HIV testing programs, working with the Minnesota Department of Education to hold a series of trainings for teachers and student advisors on STD and HIV prevention issues, and organizing a young MSM summit to bring together community groups, clinical providers, and other professionals to discuss and strategize on approaches to address the increases in new HIV diagnoses.

MDH will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed. In the meantime, if you have any questions please feel free to contact Luisa Pessoa-Brandão, Supervisor, Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit at [email protected], 651-201-4032.

World AIDS Day 2009

World AIDS Day 2009 will be observed on December 1 and Minnesota will join with more than 200 countries around the globe to call attention to the worldwide epidemic.

Roughly 33 million people are estimated to be living with HIV or AIDS around the globe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 56,300 new HIV cases occur each year in the U.S. and that 1.1 million Americans are currently living with HIV. Since 1982, 8,819 people in Minnesota have been diagnosed with HIV infection, and 6,220 people are reported to be living with HIV/AIDS in the state.

To find out about local events and resources, visit the MDH website at www.health.state.mn.us.

For additional World AIDS Day resources visit these links:

www.cdc.gov
www.worldaidscampaign.info
www.hhs.gov

In the News

Ab-Only Programs: What Part of “They Don’t Work” Is Hard to Understand?

Recent passage of conflicting amendments in the so-called Baucus Health Care Reform bill draw comments from sex ed advocates. Visit RH Reality Check and check out bloggers Julia Kaye, National Women’s Law Center and William Smith, SIECUS to learn more. Recent Newsweek coverage of the end of abstinence-only-until-marriage funding can be found at www.newsweek.com.

New Resources

Free Professional Youth Development Consultation with Youth Work Institute

Professional development is much more than seminars, workshops and training. Professional development gives youth workers the opportunity to step outside the culture and lens of their individual program, connect and network with other youth work professionals, reflect on their practice and test out new learning that can be shared back at programming sites.

Contact U of M Extension Youth Work Institute’s Education and Training Coordinator, Marika Pfefferkorn, at [email protected] or 612-625-363 to schedule your free professional development scan and consultation. She will connect you with a local Extension Educator from your area to continue facilitating your professional development needs!

New Research

Education = Health

A new issue brief (PDF) prepared by the RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America examines why, across America and generations, people with more education live longer and experience better health outcomes. The brief looks at three major interrelated pathways through which educational attainment is linked with health—health knowledge and behaviors; employment and income; and social and psychological factors, including sense of control, social standing and social support. This research has implications for ensuring teenage parents stay connected to school.

Female Youth Who Sexually Coerce

This study of high school students in Norway and Sweden found that sexually coercive behavior in high school women was associated with general risk/needs factors for antisocial behavior, but also with specific sexuality-related risk factors.

Adolescent Peer-On-Peer Sexual Aggression

This study surveyed adolescents involved in alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related sexual assault of peers. Adolescents who reported alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related sexual aggression had higher levels of impulsivity and more extensive histories of dating, early sexual activity, and alcohol consumption than adolescents who did not assault. Aggressors of alcohol-related assault had higher levels of past-30-day alcohol use and reported more alcohol-/drug-related problems than aggressors of non-alcohol-related assault.

Screening Adolescents for Substance Use—Related High-Risk Sexual Behavior

The authors of this study attempted to determine whether adolescents who screened positive for high risk substance use were also more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors than their peers. Adolescents with a screen indicating high risk for substance abuse/dependence had significantly greater odds of having sexual contact after using alcohol or other drugs, of having a sexual partner who used alcohol or other drugs, of having sex without a condom and of having multiple sexual partners within the past year. Researchers conclude that clinicians should pay special attention to counseling adolescents regarding use of condoms and the risks associated with sexual activity with multiple partners, while intoxicated or with an intoxicated partner.

Knowledge and Early Adoption of the HPV Vaccine Among Girls and Young Women: Results of a National Survey

In 2006, universal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of females ages 9 to 26 years became a formal recommendation, yet little is known about knowledge and adoption of this vaccine. 30% of 13- to 17-year-olds and 9% of 18- to 26-year-olds reported receipt of at least one HPV injection. Knowledge about HPV varied; however, 5% or fewer subjects believed that the HPV vaccine precluded the need for regular cervical cancer screening or safe-sex practices. Few girls and young women believe that the HPV vaccine is protective beyond the true impact of the vaccine. Despite moderate uptake, many females at risk of acquiring HPV have not yet received the vaccine. These findings suggest the important role of both healthcare providers and parents in HPV vaccine adoption. Read the abstract.

Minnesota Parents’ Support for the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

This study examined support for the HPV vaccine among a representative sample of Minnesota parents. Support for the vaccine was high; 87% supported its use. Notably, only 48% of parents who thought the vaccine caused girls to be more sexually active supported its use, compared to 92% of parents who did not believe the vaccine would cause more sexual activity.

Exploring the Relationship Among Weight, Race, and Sexual Behaviors Among Girls

The relationship between weight and sexual behavior among adolescents is poorly understood. Researchers found no differences in the likelihood of ever having sex on the basis of BMI or weight perception accuracy; however, girls who perceived themselves as overweight were less likely to have ever had sex. Among sexually active girls, those who had low BMI and perceived themselves as overweight or had overweight misperceptions were less likely to report condom use at last sex. Sexually active girls who perceived themselves as overweight were also more likely to have had sex before age 13. Sexual risk behaviors may be more common among girls who are underweight or perceive themselves (accurately or not) to be overweight and vary by racial/ethnic group. This suggests that girls at weight extremes and those from different racial backgrounds may have unique sexual health education and prevention needs. Read the abstract here.

Estimated Pregnancy Rates for the United States, 1990-2005

The CDC has released a report (PDF) detailing pregnancy rates for 1990-2005, updating a national series of rates extending since 1976. The teenage pregnancy rate dropped 40 percent from 1990 to 2005, reaching an historic low of 70.6 per 1,000 women aged 15–19 years. Rates fell much more for younger than for older teenagers.

While teen pregnancy rates declined significantly over this 15-year time period, we have seen an increase in MN teen pregnancy rates in each of the last two years for which we have data.

Advocacy for Young or Expectant Parents in Foster Care

A recent study by Chapin Hall of over 4,500 expectant and young parents in foster care in Illinois found that:

Although most females received some prenatal care, more than one in five pregnancies involved either no prenatal care, or care that began during the third trimester
Twenty-two percent of mothers were investigated for child maltreatment and 11% had one or more of their children placed in foster care
Only 44% of females and 27% of males had received a high school diploma or GED
86% of the youth were African American
Almost 25% of adolescent mothers in the study had two or more children

Understanding the legal rights of the youth you work with is one way to help address these challenges. This fact sheet (PDF) from Healthy Teen Network and the American Bar Association Center can be helpful in advocacy efforts for expectant and young parents.

Socio-Economic and Family Characteristics of Teen Childbearing

This research summary (PDF) shows that, contrary to public opinion, adolescent parents are not a homogonous group. The majority of young parents come from households that were not in poverty and households not headed by single parents. These findings point to an important conclusion: the prevalence of teen childbearing in the United States crosses all income levels and family structures.

MOAPPP Events

December 7-9, 2009
Teen Outreach Program (TOP) – Facilitator Training
Take advantage of this extremely reduced price!

GrandStay Faribault
1500 – 20th Street NW, Faribault

$175 MOAPPP Member/$210 Non-Member

The Teen Outreach Program (TOP) is a nationally acclaimed, science-based program that has been shown to prevent adolescent pregnancy and help youth succeed in school. Designed for youth ages 12-19, TOP incorporates a strong service-learning component based on principles of youth development. TOP has been successfully implemented in a variety of settings and with diverse populations. In addition to the 2½ days of highly interactive training, one participant from each agency receives a copy of the TOP curriculum. This is possibly the LAST CHANCE your organization has to participate in this training at this reduced price. For more information and to register, contact Jocelyn Broyles at 651-644-1447 x19, [email protected].

Coalition for Responsible Sex Ed Events

MOAPPP is a founding member of the Coalition for Responsible Sex Ed. The Coalition advocates for policies on sexuality education and access to confidential health care for minors. Here is a list of Coalition events for 2009. For additional information, visit www.coalitionforsexed.org.

No Coalition events in November.

Other Events

January 2010
Sexuality Education Residency Workshop

Minneapolis

The Birds & Bees Project will be holding the nation’s only Sexuality Education Residency for pre-service teachers in Minneapolis, MN in January. The residency is a skills-based experience designed to prepare future educators with tools and knowledge that promote adolescent sexual health. The next Sexuality Education Residency will occur in January – May 2010 and includes four components:

A 35-hour training held on January 7-8, and 15-16, 2010
A 20-hour field experience paired with a health educator
Participation in 3 half-day seminars
Optional conference attendance

More information and the application can be found at www.birdsandbees.org.

January 13-15, 2010
Engaging Fathers; Strengthening Families

Arrowwood Resort
2100 Arrowwood Lane NW, Alexandria

The Minnesota Fathers & Families Network and the Strong Foundations Conference are coming together to offer a joint conference, “Strong Foundations & Fatherhood Summit.” The joint conference is designed for professionals in public health, health care, social work/mental health, child care, early childhood education, ECFE, ECSE, School Readiness, Early Head Start, child abuse prevention, home visiting, parenting education, family law, child support, and those who work with refugee and immigrant communities, the field of fatherhood, and other helping professions. Visit www.mnfathers.org for more information.

Various Dates
Cultural Proficiency Workshops

St. Paul

For over 110 years, Neighborhood House has been helping people, families and organizations develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in diverse communities. We share what we have learned in our Cultural Proficiency Workshops. Our presenters are deeply immersed in their native and American cultures and share their personal experiences and the experiences of their community. Learn about Somali, Latino and Hmong cultures. For more information, visit the Neighborhood House website.