http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/education/221353
Napolitano to reject abstinence-only funds
By Bob Christie
The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.20.2008
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano plans to reject federal money for abstinence-only sex education classes in the state's public schools.
Napolitano plans to send a letter the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this week rejecting the money unless the government lifts restrictions that bar teaching issues outside the abstinence-only curriculum, Napolitano spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer confirmed Saturday.
"She is going to ask if that is flexible at all, and if the answer is no, she's going to reject it," L'Ecuyer said. "With the restrictions, unfortunately we're not able to give kids all the information they need. If you teach abstinence-only, you can't teach birth control and other information they need."
Napolitano, a Democrat, first revealed her intentions Friday at a luncheon in Phoenix sponsored by Planned Parenthood Arizona.
Planned Parenthood has been pushing states to stop taking federal money for the programs and Congress to cut off funding, contending abstinence-only education denies teenagers information they need to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The groups notes that studies haven't shown the programs are effective.
Arizona becomes the 16th state to refuse the funding, said Alessandra Soler Meetze, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.
"We are pleased that the governor has decided to stop misusing taxpayer dollars to support programs that give teens medically inaccurate and gender-biased information," Soler Meetze said.
The ACLU said Arizona has put up $780,000 this fiscal year for the programs, with the federal government adding another $1.2 million. Those numbers could not be confirmed with state officials Saturday.
The programs are supported by socially conservative groups, which argue they promote healthy, wise and safe lifestyle choices for students.
The Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative lobbying group, has pushed for abstinence-only sex ed, saying the state's programs have lowered teenage pregnancy rates, STDs and sex outside marriage.
Center for Arizona Policy president Cathi Herrod couldn't immediately be reached for comment Saturday about Napolitano's decision.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
16 and Counting: Arizona to Reject Abstinence Only Funding
Monday, January 7, 2008
How To Make Sense of the NC Sex Ed Laws 101
Does your school comply with the Healthful Living Standard Course of Study (SCS)? Are you interested in implementing health education programs in your school that go beyond the SCS? Not sure where to begin or how people will react?
What: Building Support for Comprehensive Family Life Education
When: Monday, January 28, 2008
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: APPCNC's offices: 3708 Mayfair Street, Suite 310, Durham, NC 27707
Cost: $25 (includes lunch)
This six-hour training will help you:
- Know the state guidelines for sexuality education
- Articulate why abstinence and safer sex education helps young people achieve education, financial, relationship, and other life goals
- Enable comprehensive sexuality education by building support for the public hearing process
- Differentiate among diverse community values about sexuality education
- Develop compelling messages about sexuality education in public schools
*Please bring your local phone book with you; we will use it during the training!
Presenters:
Dr. Linda Berne
Dr. Donna Breitenstein, Director, NC School Health Training Center
Sarah Langer, HIV Policies and Programs Consultant, NC Department of Public Instruction
Click here to register!
Click here for directions to APPCNC
Contact Melinda DeJongh with questions: 919-286-1880 x108 or mdejongh@appcnc.org
Friday, January 4, 2008
Help Support the TPPI Rule Change: Write a Letter of Support Today!
A new change has been proposed to the TPPI grant process that will require grantees to provide a plan to provide comprehensive sexuality education (including medically accurate information about contraception including abstinence) and a plan to refer any teen who needs further information or health consultation regarding contraception, mental health, substance abuse or domestic violence to the proper authority. These changes are long overdue and are in line with the spirit and letter of the TPPI mission: to prevent teen pregnancy in North Carolina.
Please take the time to write a letter stating why you think this rule change is important, necessary and needed right now. Please send these letters to:
1931 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1931
The deadline for public comment is January 14, 2008. Please write today.
Join APPCNC & Bill Albert in celebrating Teen PEP!
Join the Teen PEP program for a demonstration of a promising teen pregnancy prevention program followed by a Q&A with Bill Albert of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen & UnplannedPregnancies!
Save the Date for February 27, 2008 at 1:30 pm for a unique opportunity to see an effective in school teen pregnancy prevention program and chat with Bill Albert, Deputy Director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancies. The Thomasville Teen PEP participants will present a brief demonstration of their program, followed by a speech and Q&A with Bill Albert and Thomasville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Daniel Cockman. School officials are invited to attend. A reception and special session exclusively for school personnel will follow the presentation.
This is the perfect opportunity to see promising teen pregnancy prevention delivered in a school setting. NC Department of Public Instruction staff will be on hand to discuss NC policy for sexuality education in schools. For further information, please contact James Martin at (919) 226-1880.
Assessing Diverse Youth Populations Pilot Training!
Join ETR and Healthy Teen Network for a Training to Help You Match your Population with the Right Program!
Asessing Diverse Youth Populations - Pilot Training
(you will be asked to give feedback on the training at the end of the day)
Who: Healthy Teen Network and ETR Associates
When: January 23, 2008; 8:30 - 4:30
Where: APPCNC Training Room, 3708 Mayfair Street, Suite 310, Durham, NC 27707
How much: $55.00 (includes breakfast and lunch)
What: A training to increase skills of using needs and resources assessment as well as risk and protective factors to select the appropriate program to match the youth you serve.
Why? Because you want to maximize your impact on the youth you serve. Because you want to be sure that you're using the most effective program for the population you serve. Because you care about getting the most bang for your donors' buck.
Plus you get the unique opportunity to be one of the first to experience this training. Boldly go where no one has gone before! Explore strange new data! Seek out new determinants and new interventions!
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this one-day training, participants will be able to:
- Describe the benefits of a needs and resources assessment;
- Explain how to establish a needs & resources assessment workgroup;
- Develop a data collection plan including how to:
- Identify assessment questions
- Access existing data
- Find new data
- Assess community resources
- Analyze data collected;
- Identify important sexual risk-taking behaviors and determinants that influence those behaviors among youth populations;
- Select priority population;
- Complete the first three columns of your BDI Logic Model (health goal, behaviors, and determinants);
- Identify where to locate information about science-based programs that you want to explore for your priority population.
