Working with Schools: Adolescent Reproductive Health

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Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Preventing Teen Pregnancies, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs) through Youth-Serving Organizations and Schools—Partnerships and State-of-the-Art Technical Assistance

CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health and Division of Adolescent and School Health are working together to build collaboration between state-based teen pregnancy prevention coalitions (TPPCs) and state education agencies (SEAs).

CDC funds TPPCs and SEAs to collaborate on implementing science-based prevention programs in schools and youth-serving organizations. Effective science-based prevention programs include curriculum-based sex education that uses comprehensive approaches proven to increase healthy sexual decision making among youth (e.g., not having sex, delaying the initiation of sex, or reducing the number of partners and increasing condom and contraceptive use among sexually active young people). This collaboration builds on current state-based efforts and enables grantees to focus on communities with the highest teen-pregnancy rates. By working together, TPPCs and SEAs can better ensure that programs are implemented as program developers intended and can expand their efforts to additional communities.

The collaboration targets youth in rural and urban communities in nine states (Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington) by using two key strategies: state-based partnerships and state-of-the-art technical assistance.

State-Based Partnerships for Preventing Teen Pregnancy, HIV, and STD

The SEAs and TPPCs in the nine funded states invite participation from relevant community organizations and tribal governments. Main activities occurring through these partnerships include

Data sharing.

Integrating efforts across health issues.

Aligning state- and community-level policies and priorities.

Implementing new programs or strengthening existing ones, especially among communities with the highest teen pregnancy rates.

Education agencies and state organizations work together with local schools and communities to

Build the capacity of local organizations to use science-based approaches and programs that have been shown to reduce sexual risk behaviors among youth.

Foster a sense of purpose among youth by linking to community-oriented work.

Integrate efforts to prevent teen pregnancy, HIV, and STD.

Bring positive youth development principles and practices into program development and delivery.

Technical Assistance, Training, and Capacity Building

National non-governmental organizations are working together to provide state-of-the-art technical assistance and skills-building opportunities to state grantees. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, Healthy Teen Network, and Advocates for Youth are building on current capacity-building efforts to bring science-based programs into the work of state and local programs. In addition, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs is working with SEAs and state TPPCs to articulate and implement a shared vision for preventing teen pregnancy, HIV, and STD.

Expected Impacts

SEAs and TPPCs will have increased capacity to work collaboratively to reduce the risk behaviors that can lead to teen pregnancy, HIV, and STD.

More schools and youth-serving organizations will provide science-based prevention programs to prevent teen pregnancy, HIV, and STD.

Long-Term Outcomes

The number of teen pregnancies will be reduced in participating states.

The number of STDs will be reduced among youth aged 12–18 years in participating states.

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