Teenwise Minnesota Announcements
Call for Exhibitors for Teenwise Minnesota's 2012 Conference, May 3-4, 2012
Please join us as an exhibitor for Teenwise Minnesota's Annual Conference, May 3-4, 2012 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. The Teenwise Minnesota Conference convenes approximately 350 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 Teenwise Minnesota website for more information and an application.
Teenwise Seeks Nominations for Our Annual Awards
Each year, Teenwise Minnesota honors individuals, agencies, policy makers and programs that make outstanding contributions toward the promotion of adolescent sexual health, the prevention of adolescent pregnancy and the support of adolescent parents in Minnesota. Awards are given in the five categories: Outstanding Individual, Teen(s), Advocate, Judy Ojeda Community Partner, and Collaboration or Agency of the Year. Please let us know about the people you know who deserve to be recognized by their peers.
Complete an award nomination form (PDF) and send to Teenwise by March 16, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact David Kurtzon, Program Manager at 651-644-1447 x16, david@teenwisemn.org.
Let's Party! Join Us in Planning Our 2012 Benefit Event!
We need your help! We are looking for committed individuals to help plan our 2012 Teenwise Minnesota Benefit Event. Committee members help plan event logistics, secure in-kind donations, recruit volunteers and ensure that the event runs smoothly. This is a great way to support our work, network and meet new people...and have fun in the process!
The first committee meeting is being held at 11 a.m. on January 13 (location TBD). For more information about this opportunity, please view our posting on our Volunteer Match page or contact Katie Welch at katie@teenwisemn.org.
Adolescent Sexual Health Intern Opening at Teenwise Minnesota
Teenwise Minnesota is looking for an intern to help increase dissemination and use of evidence-based information and resources regarding adolescent sexual health. View the full job description and submission details here (PDF). Deadline for submission is January 27 so apply today!
Has Teenwise Minnesota Helped You in Your Work?
If it has, than please become a member at one of three levels:
- Organizational: $150 per year
- Individual: $50 per year
- Student (Full Time): $25 per year
Membership dues are a small but important part of Teenwise Minnesota's operating dollars. And, they can make a big difference to your costs for Teenwise Minnesota's annual conference and year-round workshops. Joining Teenwise Minnesota is the smart thing to do if you are a professional, student or volunteer working to promote adolescent sexual health, prevent adolescent pregnancy and support adolescent parents in Minnesota. Become a member today!
Other Announcements
Reproductive and Sexual Health Update: Mark Your Calendars and Earn a Free Copy of Contraceptive Technology!
The 2012 Minnesota Reproductive and Sexual Health Update, bringing you the latest in reproductive health practice, research and technology, is scheduled for Sept 11, 2012 in St. Paul, MN. This annual event is geared towards clinicians and health educators looking for the latest information about birth control methods, sexually transmitted infections, and other clinical topics. The Planning Committee wants your input, and as an incentive will put your name in a drawing for a free copy of the newest edition of Contraceptive Technology. Follow this link to the survey and be sure to respond no later than January 17 to qualify for the prize drawing.
For Youth
Unicorn Support Group for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Youth
Trans Youth Support Network and the MN Trans Health Coalition are proud to partner to present a weekly Unicorn Support Group on Mondays from 5-7 p.m. for trans and gender non-conforming youth. View an informational flyer here (PDF). Questions? Email Jay at mntransoutreach@gmail.com.
New Resources
Groundbreaking National Sexuality Education Standards Set the New Gold Standard for Sexuality Education in Public Schools
On January 9, 2012, the first-ever national standards for sexuality education in schools were released. Published in the Journal of School Health, the National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K-12 provide clear, consistent and straightforward guidance on the essential minimum, core content for sexuality education that is developmentally and age-appropriate for students from Kindergarten through grade 12.
The National Sexuality Education Standards set the groundwork for the minimum of what sexuality education should look like in America's public schools. The standards focus on seven topics as the minimum, essential content and skills for K-12 education: Anatomy and Physiology; Puberty and Adolescent Development; Identity; Pregnancy and Reproduction; Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV; Healthy Relationships; and, Personal Safety. Topics are presented using performance indicators—what students should know and be able to do by the end of grades 2, 5, 8, and 12—and are based on the National Health Education Standards.
To view the complete National Sexuality Education Standards, click here.
Note: Elizabeth Schroeder, the Executive Director at Answer, Rutgers University will give a keynote address on the new standards at Teenwise Minnesota’s Annual Conference, May 3-4, 2012!
New Fact Sheet: HIV among Youth
The Centers for Disease Control issued a new fact sheet (PDF) on HIV and adolescents. Too many young people in the United States (US) are at risk for HIV infection. This risk is especially notable for young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM), especially young African American or Latino MSM, and all youth of minority races and ethnicities. Continual HIV prevention outreach and education efforts, including programs on abstinence, delaying the initiation of sex and negotiating safer sex, are required as new generations replace the generations that benefited from earlier prevention strategies.
New Research
- Foster Care and Teen Pregnancy
- Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates
- Teens Describe Difficulties Maintaining Contraceptive Use After Having a Child
- Male Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
- Contraceptive Experiences among Adolescents Who Experience Unintended Birth
- Beyond Age at First Sex: Patterns of Emerging Sexual Behavior in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Foster Care and Teen Pregnancy
A new brief (PDF) called "Teen Parents in Foster Care: Risk Factors and Outcomes for Teens and their Children" from Child Trends, analyzes regional data and existing literature to assess teenage pregnancy among young people in the foster care system. The authors discuss risk factors, outcomes, resources, implications and necessary future research on the topic.
Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates
Researchers from the University of Georgia analyzed sex education laws across 48 states and have found that emphasis on abstinence education is correlated with high teenage pregnancy and birth rates, even after adjusting for socioeconomic status, education, ethnicity and health insurance. Read the article here.
Teens Describe Difficulties Maintaining Contraceptive Use After Having a Child
The authors of this study in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health conducted in-depth interviews with teens who had given birth before age 18 to compare their contraceptive practices and attitudes about pregnancy before and after giving birth. The authors found that prior to pregnancy, most of the young women had inadequate knowledge of and access to contraceptive methods and had not discussed sex or contraception with their parents. Immediately after giving birth, most of the teens strongly intended to avoid another pregnancy in the near future and used a contraceptive method, particularly the injectable, IUD or implant. However, only a few months after giving birth, teens reported that their access to contraceptive information and services had dropped sharply. The researchers state that enabling those younger than 19 to have family planning coverage through Medicaid would likely increase their ability to afford highly effective contraceptive methods, which frequently have high up-front costs.
Male Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
Male adolescents' sexual and reproductive health needs often go unmet in the primary care setting. This report from Pediatrics discusses specific issues related to male adolescents' sexual and reproductive health care in the context of primary care, including pubertal and sexual development, sexual behavior, consequences of sexual behavior and methods of preventing sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) and pregnancy.
Contraceptive Experiences among Adolescents Who Experience Unintended Birth
Adolescents are at high risk of unintended pregnancy due to contraceptive nonuse and inconsistent use. The authors of this study in Contraception examined associations between contraception and mistimed/unwanted birth among adolescents. Half of adolescents with unintended births did not use contraception at conception. Those ambivalent about pregnancy reported fewer unwanted compared to wanted births. Among contraceptive nonusers, difficulty accessing birth control was the only factor associated with more unwanted birth. For African American adolescents, concerns of side effects, access issues and perceived sterility were associated with unwanted birth. For younger teens, falsely perceived subfertility increased unwanted birth, whereas access issues were significant for older teens. The authors conclude that access issues and misconceptions around contraceptive side effects and fertility place adolescents at higher risk for unintended pregnancy, especially among younger and African American teens.
Beyond Age at First Sex: Patterns of Emerging Sexual Behavior in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Although the emergence of sexual expression during adolescence and early adulthood is nearly universal, little is known about patterns of initiation. Approximately half of teens followed a pattern characterized predominately by initiation of vaginal sex first, average age of initiation of approximately 16 years, and spacing of >1 year between initiation of the first and second behaviors; almost one-third initiated sexual activity slightly later but reported first experiences of oral-genital and vaginal sex within the same year. Classes characterized by postponement of sexual activity, initiation of only one type of behavior or adolescent initiation of anal sex were substantially less common. Compared with white respondents, black respondents were more likely to appear in classes characterized by initiation of vaginal sex first. Respondents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to be in classes distinguished by early/atypical patterns of initiation. The authors of this study in the Journal of Adolescent Health conclude that a small number of typical and atypical patterns capture the emergence of sexual behavior during adolescence, but these patterns reveal complex associations among different elements of emerging sexuality that should be considered in future research.
Teenwise Minnesota Events
February 13-14, 2012
Making Proud Choices!: Training of Educators
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Webster School
425 North 5th Street, Minneapolis
Making Proud Choices! is an 8-module curriculum for use by school districts, faith communities and community organizations that provides adolescents with the knowledge, confidence and skills to reduce their risk of STI/HIV and pregnancy. This curriculum, designed for youth ages 11-13, emphasizes waiting to have sex or using condoms if young people choose to have sex. In addition to the two days of highly interactive training, each participant receives a copy of the Making Proud Choices! curriculum, an activity set and video clips.
For more information and to register, see the flyer and registration form (PDF). Click here to register online. Questions? Contact Jill at 651-644-1447 x18, jill@teenwisemn.org.
Other Events
January 13, 2012
Every Student Connected: How Gender-Based Bullying Erodes Student Connection
The Minnesota School OUTreach Coalition (www.mnschooloutreach.org) will present "Key Findings on the Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans-Gender Youth in Our Nation's Schools," with a focus on Minnesota schools. The Coalition will introduce the "Safe Space Kit: Guide to Being an Ally to GLBT Students." There also will be an anti-bullying and student non-discrimination policy update with tips on how to respond in the classroom. This workshop will provide insights into GLBTQ-specific bullying and harassment, and how to intervene in bullying and harassment using a simple intervention model. School staff/youth workers seeking ways to connect with students and create safe learning environments should attend. View the flyer (PDF) and register here.
January 23-24, 2012
Minnesota Fatherhood and Family Services Summit
Best Western Kelly Inn & St. Cloud Convention Center
St. Cloud, MN
The Minnesota Fathers and Families Network's (MFFN) 9th annual conference will include a pre-conference institute entitled, "Fathers in Families: Diverse Pathways for Reworking Fathering," focusing on research, theory, interventions and discussion about positive fathering. Register here today.