Contact Name
Barbara Dietsch
562-985-9488

Contact Email
bdietsc@WestEd.org

Sex Smart: 501 Reasons To Hold Off On Sex, by Susan Browning Pogany, is an abstinence resource for teens. It addresses teens in an honest and conversational style, making a strong case for sexual responsibility. A section on how teens can "make love" without intercourse is particularly interesting. The book features teens and their stories about abstinence and about sexual experiences. Fairview Press, 2450 Riverside Ave., S. Minneapolis, MN 55454.

Heat of the Moment is an eighteen-minute video featuring teens telling their actual stories about their problems and decisions. This unscripted documentary brings the viewer face to face with the innermost struggles of teens. Their lives, their thoughts and their day-to-day hardships are openly revealed as they deal with the consequences of having sex or their decision to "just wait." Mississippi Dept. of Human Services, P.O. Box 352, 750 North State St., Jackson, MS 39205. $10 including shipping and handling.

ETR Associates' 1998-99 Health Promotion Catalogue is an excellent source of information about current, clever and compelling pamphlets, posters, flip-charts, videos, displays and booklets on Abstinence. (Resources for a wide range of health-related topics are included.) The language, style, artwork, and interesting facts presented (some not generally known) make these very good tools for capturing and holding the attention of teens and others concerned with these issues. ETR Associates, P.O. Box 1830, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-1830.

The December, 1998 Population Reports from The Johns Hopkins University is one of the most powerful volumes in this series (Vol. XXVI, Number 4 - Series J, Number 48). The issue is a Guide for implementing the GATHER approach to counseling regarding sexual activities and their consequences. (GATHER is an acronym for Greet, Ask, Tell, Help, Explain, and Return.) Designed for use in developing as well as in developed countries, the Guide explains each step of the counseling system and presents complete and accurate materials to support clients' choices. Population Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202. Multiple copies available at $2.00 per copy, $35 for a set of all available reports.

Publications of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy are always timely, anticipating the interests and needs of the professional community. The most recent of these is Nine Tips to Help Faith Leaders and Their Communities Address Teen Pregnancy. In addition to the nine concrete suggestions, which are expanded to include useful approaches, a list of resources on talking with youth and their families is included. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037.

The importance of including the faith community in efforts to prevent teen pregnancy is highlighted effectively in A Time to Speak: Faith Communities and Sexuality Education, by SIECUS President Debra W. Haffner. This excellent publication presents compelling reasons for congregations to provide sexuality education as well as to support sexuality education in the community. Appendices include denomination statements about sexuality education, resources, and guides for sexuality education in faith communities. SIECUS, 130 W. 42nd Street, Suite 350, New York, NY 10036-7802.