August 15, 2007
Special Announcement
There are a couple of transitions that are taking place that will be hard for us in the Division of Abstinence Education.
Harry Wilson, the Associate Commissioner for the Family and Youth Services Bureau is re-entering the private sector to pursue new ventures. His last day in the office will be Friday, August 17. He has a heart for America's youth and has been a strong supporter of abstinence education. We will miss him very much.
We are sad to announce that Tammy Priest will be transitioning away from her abstinence education work with the National Clearinghouse for Families and Youth in order to devote more time to her children. Tammy has done great work for us including the regular publication of the Abstinence Education e-updates and we will miss her a lot!
Stan Koutstaal, Ph.D.
Abstinence Education Division Director, FYSB
Employment Opportunity
Youth Policy Associate: Abstinence Education
Want to join a wonderful group of dedicated people working to improve conditions for youth? A Youth Policy Associate for Abstinence Education (part time) is needed to review media stories, funding opportunities and relevant research to compile information and produce materials such as the Abstinence Education e-updates for educators, policymakers, and the public. Good writing and research skills, BA degree, (MA preferred) and experience with abstinence education required. We prefer that the employee work onsite in Silver Spring, but we will consider offsite candidates. Please send resume and salary requirement to HR 1438, JBS, 8630 Fenton St. #1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910; or e-mail to JOBS@JBS.BIZ. EOE.
Media Stories
As St. Lucie Sex-Ed Plan Advances, Focus on Condoms Draws Fire
The Palm Beach (FL) Post, August 12, 2007
Bill's Loophole Upsets Abstinence Program Backers
The Washington Times, August 11, 2007
High School Class Promotes Student Abstinence
The Centre View (VA) Connection, August 9, 2007
Media Mum on Oral Sex and Throat Cancer Risk Among Kids
CNSNews.com, August 8, 2007
States Adopt Marriage-Ed Courses
Stateline.org, August 7, 2007
Montgomery County Sex-Ed Foes Head to Court
The Baltimore (MD) Sun, August 4, 2007
Abstinence Works
USA Today, July 30, 2007
Teen Sex Trends Worry Evangelicals
The Abilene (TX) Reporter News, July 29, 2007
Teens Cook Up Way To Earn Money, Support Center
The Elmira (NY) Star-Gazette, July 28, 2007
Funding Opportunities
The National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth maintains a listing of organizations identified as potential funding sources for abstinence education programs. The listing includes grant descriptions and contact information.
Two Should Know – Paso del Norte Health Foundation (El Paso, Texas)
Grant recipients will implement effective and imaginative programs working to both (a) reduce poor health outcomes such as sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, and sexual abuse, and (b) promote positive emotional and social health outcomes. The foundation serves people living in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties in West Texas, Doña Ana and Otero Counties in southern New Mexico, and the city of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. It has funded abstinence education programs in recent years. Deadline for applications: August 31, 2007
Parenting Capacities and Health Outcomes in Youths and Adolescents (R21) – National Institutes of Health (Cycle III)
Grant recipients will increase the skills and capacities of parents and caregivers to improve the health outcomes of their young and adolescent children. This includes interventions that help parents to decrease risk behaviors, including sexual behaviors, in their children and to build protective factors. Deadlines for applications: October 16, 2007, and November 5, 2007
Recent Research
The Impact of Relationship Education on Adolescents of Diverse Backgrounds (July 2007)
Researchers examined the effectiveness of a relationship education program among an ethnically diverse group of 340 high school students. The authors' findings, published in Family Relations [Volume 56(3):291-303], show that participants' knowledge increased in several areas, including their ability to identify unhealthy relationship patterns, to develop realistic expectations of relationships and marriage, and to express less verbal aggression in dating relationships. These findings were true across demographics for race and ethnicity, economic status, and family structure.
Associations Between Youth Assets and Sexual Activity: Does Adult Supervision Play a Role? (July 2007)
The authors of this article, published in Child: Care, Health and Development [Volume 33(4):448-454], examined the relationship between nine youth assets and sexual activity based on adolescents' out-of-school time supervision. The authors found that youth in supervised settings may be less likely to participate in sexual activity because of the presence of assets. They also determined that youth in the highest income level who reported being in self-care were significantly more likely to have never had sexual intercourse than self-care youth belonging to lower household income levels.
Upcoming Events
National Abstinence Education Grantees Conference
January 28-30, 2008
Baltimore, MD
Registration Details TBA
Contact: abstinence@pal-tech.com
Other News/Misc.
KIDS COUNT 2007 Data Book
The 18th edition of the KIDS COUNT Data Book provides information and trends on 10 key indicators of child and family well-being. One of the positive trends highlighted is the continued decrease in the adolescent birth rate among all major racial and ethnic groups. For each of the 10 indicators, data is presented by age, race and ethnicity, gender (where applicable), and State.
In the Spotlight
 Abstinence Education Program, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
In order to address the problem of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases among South Carolina's young people, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) employs a stringent process to select community-based abstinence educators. Grantees must demonstrate proven commitment to and support of the abstinence message. They also must have successfully implemented abstinence education services, using a medically accurate curriculum that conforms to Federal legislative requirements, for at least 1 year. Applications are reviewed by an independent five-member panel: two members come from each of the two State legislative bodies, and one member is selected by the Governor's Office. SCDHEC's current grantees, Heritage Community Services and South Carolina Parents Involved in Education, provide abstinence education to adolescents in 12 counties, build capacity in 15 counties, and make their technical assistance interventions available in each of the State's 46 counties. The grantees' activities help South Carolina promote abstinence from sexual activity among residents most likely to bear children out of wedlock. The South Carolina abstinence education program continues to address gaps, working to enhance train-the-trainer efforts and to improve the program's communication and collaboration with local health departments and the South Carolina Department of Education. For more information, please contact Susan Jackson (jacksosl@dhec.sc.gov).
Quote for the Day
"I thought it was crazy that they were having an abstinence seminar at my school... But I went in with an open mind and learned how to be a better, whole person, focusing on all the different aspects of my life... I had a new confidence that there were other people who felt the same way I did. And it provided statistics showing that most high-school students aren't sexually active, and that was nice to know."
(Morgan Hicks, Westfield High School sophomore, quoted in The Centre View (VA) Connection, August 9, 2007) |
