Contact Name
Barbara Dietsch
562-985-9488

Contact Email
bdietsc@WestEd.org

Norma Munroe, M.S., Consultant<.br> Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program<.br> California Department of Education

Recent statistics indicate that while California continues to have a teen birth rate that is well above the national rate, the state has had significant reductions in teen birth rate and unwed pregnancy rate between 1991 and 1996. As a result, the state, once one of the states with the highest teen birth rates is now ranked at number eight. Indications are that California will continue and possibly accelerate this downward trend.

The State of California has not yet implemented Federal Title V Abstinence-only education programs. However, over the past five years, the State's Governor, the California State Legislature and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction all identified preventing early sexual activity and reducing teenage pregnancy as high priorities. This consensus resulted in the development and implementation of several innovative programs.

The California Department of Education (CDE) implemented the Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Grant Program (TPPGP) in 1996. This program was authorized by a legislative initiative (SB 1170, Chapter 311, Statutes of 1995) and provides $10 million each year for five years. Thirty seven school-community partnerships have been funded to implement comprehensive programs that support elementary and secondary students in delaying the onset of sexual activity and reducing teenage pregnancy. This project represents the first direct funding to school communities to address primary pregnancy prevention and recognizes the significant impact of low education achievement and risk of school failure on too early sexual activity, childbearing and parenthood.

Programs are located in more than 350 schools in 25 counties and represent the state's diversity of large, small, urban and rural communities. While most of the partnerships have implemented programs in middle schools, several provide programs across the continuum of elementary through high school and a few are in elementary schools. They have designed culturally and linguistically appropriate programs to address local needs and risk factors, and to achieve locally identified measurable results. Each program is based on research-based effective pregnancy prevention strategies and a youth development approach aimed at helping students develop the competencies, skills and knowledge necessary to make positive life choices for improved academic and health results. Youth development activities include community service, after-school programs, service learning, developing goal-setting and decision-making skills, peer and adult mentoring, parent/child communication and acquiring employment skills. There are mandated statewide and local evaluations of the Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Grant Program.

The enabling statute restricts the use of TPPGP funds for the purchase of condoms. However, programs are implemented in accordance with the existing Education Code (California Education Code Section 51550) which is abstinence-focused but provides information about contraceptive use. The choices of pregnancy prevention strategy and other program components were local decisions and reflect the wishes of the respective school communities.

Further support for teenage pregnancy prevention efforts in school communities will be provided through CDE's 1999 implementation of the After School Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnerships Program. This project provides $50 million each year through a competitive grant process to school community partnerships to implement integrated, age-appropriate, after school programs for students in grades K-9. Each program must consist of an Academic component and a Safe and Healthy Environment and Activities component. The Academic component is designed to provide tutoring and homework assistance and to support the school's core curriculum. The Healthy Environment component must focus on enrichment activities such as arts, music, career preparation activities, and teen pregnancy and substance abuse prevention.

In 1997, former Governor Pete Wilson established the "Partnership for Responsible Parenting". This 27-month initiative to reduce teen and unwed pregnancy provided $52.8 million to implement the following four components through the California Department of Health Services and the Office of Criminal Justice Planning:

Public Awareness, Outreach and Education Campaign - to raise public awareness about teen and unwed pregnancy in California and encourage positive solutions, including abstinence, male responsibility and mentoring. California Mentor Initiative - to encourage adult volunteers to serve as resources and friends to at-risk teens.

Community Challenge Grant Program - to promote community-based partnerships that develop programs to address teen and unwed pregnancies and responsible parenting and the involvement of fathers.

Statutory Rape Vertical Prosecution Program - to send a strong message that having sex with a minor is a crime that will be prosecuted. This program was developed in response to the fact that half of all births to mothers younger than 18 years of age involve a man four or more years older.

The 27-month implementation period of the "Partnership for Responsible Parenting" ends June 30, 1999, and re-funding of this project is now being addressed through the state's legislative budget process. The California Department of Health Services, Office of Family Planning, has also implemented the Male Involvement Program, an innovative project of community-based programs that address the role of men and boys in pregnancy prevention and parenting. In addition, the Office of Family Planning has expanded services provided to teens through existing programs including the TeenSmart and Family PACT programs.

These state level teenage pregnancy prevention efforts have been enhanced by the interventions funded by other agencies in the state. For example, the California Wellness Foundation has provided significant funding to local communities and implemented an imaginative media campaign through its Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative. The Foundation also funds the Peer Provider Clinic Council (California Family Health Council) project.

These combined approaches have resulted in pregnancy prevention efforts across the continuum of growth and development of our youth and have helped our state to show positive results in its efforts to reverse the trend of increasing teen pregnancy and birth rates.