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5/19/03

San Mateo County, CA is Getting it Together to Fight Teen Pregnancy and STDs/HIV

New York, NY - For National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) is proud to honor exceptional organizations that are addressing the sexual health of young people. In its latest SIECUS Report on Getting It Together: Integrating Teen Pregnancy and STD/HIV Prevention Efforts, SIECUS highlights 17 innovative initiatives that have implemented new comprehensive peer programs, lesson plans, curricula, coalition partnerships, and media campaigns that integrate teen pregnancy, STD, and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Teen Talk and Plain Talk for Parents, two programs of the Teen Pregnancy Coalition of San Mateo County in San Mateo, CA are exceptional examples of programs that are "getting it together":

Teen Talk is an 8 to 10-hour comprehensive sexuality education program for teens, and Plain Talk for Parents is a two-part workshop designed to teach parents and caregivers effective communication skills to help them comfortably discuss the subject of sexuality with their children. Both of these programs are committed to developing positive and honest communication between adults and young people and both curricula consistently address the prevention of unintended pregnancy, STDs, and HIV infection as interrelated social problems. More than 4,000 youth in 21 schools participated in the Teen Talk program in the 2001-02 school year, and more than 900 parents have participated in the Plain Talk program in 3 ½ years.

"To advance the health and well-being of young people, these outstanding programs have tackled the critical interrelated health issues facing young people," said Tamara Kreinin, president and CEO of SIECUS. "These initiatives represent unique examples of bridging the gap across teen pregnancy, and STD/HIV prevention programs to strengthen health promotion policies and ensure that our young people are sexually healthy," Kreinin continued.

For more information on the programs, or to receive a copy of the SIECUS Report please contact Nicole Cordier at (212) 819-9770 or siecus@siecus.org or visit http://www.siecus.org.