ABSTINENCE IN THE NEWS : DVD: COVER GIRL CULTURE
POSTED: AUG 02, 2010

Media has a tremendous influence in shaping how individuals think about the world; and this influence is even greater over children. One of the most harmful, and certainly saddest, examples is the influence which the fashion industry has over young girls. This feature-length documentary by filmmaker Nicole Clark – herself a former Elite International fashion model – explores how the worlds of fashion, modeling, advertising and celebrity impact our teens and young women.

To read entire Parents’ Television Council review: http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/publications/moviereviews/ptc/2010/CoverGirlCulture.asp

TEENAGE SEXUAL ACTIVITY : THE END OF COURTSHIP
POSTED: AUG 02, 2010

Leon Kass
This hefty article is packed with wisdom from a happily-married, sharp-eyed observer of marriage and culture. Forget the multi-tasking. Print this one out and take a little thoughtful time with a wise and sparkling essay. Here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite: Sex education in our elementary and secondary schools is an independent yet related obstacle to courtship and marriage. Taking for granted, and thereby ratifying, precocious sexual activity among teenagers,…the entire approach of sex education is technocratic and, at best, morally neutral; in many cases, it explicitly opposes traditional morals while moralistically insisting on the equal acceptability of any and all forms of sexual expression provided only that they are not coerced. No effort is made to teach the importance of marriage as the proper home for sexual intimacy.

(http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001154.cfm)

HHS ANNOUNCES ABSTINENCE EDUCATION FUNDING  FOR STATES

August 2, 2010

Washington, DC- The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) is pleased to announce the release of federal funding by the United States Department Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Title V State Abstinence Education Grant Program. According to the funding announcement ,“The purpose of this program is to support decisions to abstain from sexual activity until marriage by providing abstinence education as defined by Section 510(b)(2) of the Social Security Act with a focus on those groups that are most likely to bear children out-of-wedlock.” (HHS-2010-ACF-ACYF-AEGP-0123).

“The bipartisan vote among members of Congress that provided for the continuation of this funding, demonstrates an understanding of the common sense approach that Abstinence Education provides and that a majority of Americans support”, said Valerie Huber, Executive Director of NAEA.

Originally begun under the Clinton Administration, Title V abstinence funding was recently extended under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This funding is provided to states yearly until 2014. The program will be implemented through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), which is currently accepting applications from States and Territories.

According to Huber, “We hope to see many effective abstinence programs funded under the Title V grant program. To combat the complex problem of teen sexual activity, we need an ‘all hands on deck’ attitude that does not censor any approach; indeed there is enough problem to go around and our young people deserve every effort to promote their health and well- being”.

The entire Funding Announcement may be accessed  here http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2010-ACF-ACYF-AEGP-0123

Labor HHS Markup for Sex Education

Last week, the House Labor HHS subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee debated funding for sex education, but results of this debate have not yet been released. The President proposed $129 million for the Office of Adolescent Health’s Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Initiative in his FY 2011 budget, an increase of $19 million over the current year. He did not prioritize any funds to risk avoidance, however. In a letter sent to Chairman Obey, a select number of concerned Democratic Members of Congress encouraged the committee to reestablish funds for the abstinence prevention approach. Read the letter here:

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/e71e76ba0a0760415775e4352/files/FY11_Abstinence_Education_Letter.pdf

Action step:

Call and email the following Members of Congress, thanking them for supporting abstinence-centered education.

Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) : 202-225-2701
Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA) : 202-225-6531
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC) : 202-225-2731
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) : 202-225-5701

Next steps in appropriation’s process:

• While some House Appropriations full committee markups are scheduled this week, the Labor HHS full committee markup is not yet scheduled. Keep track of scheduled events here:
http://appropriations.house.gov/

• Contact House Appropriations members, urging them to support priority funding for abstinence-centered education in the full committee markup. Find House committee members here:
http://appropriations.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=138

• Senate Labor HHS markup is likely next week. Contact your Senators on the committee, urging them to include specific funding for abstinence education within the Teen Pregnancy Prevention funding. Find members here:
http://appropriations.senate.gov/sc-labor.cfm

The July 19 edition of Roll Call notes that the entire process could be stalled later this year, making current efforts one of the few opportunities to impact the process: “With a high-stakes election bearing down on them and partisan gridlock stalling most legislation in the Senate, Democrats have begun to acknowledge that the federal government will not be fully funded until after November and may even have to wait until 2011.”

*Taken from an alert issued by NAEA.

Concerned Democrats Ask Chairman Obey to Fund Abstinence Education

Democratic House Members recently sent a letter to Appropriations Committee Chairman, David Obey (D-WI). The letter asks that the FY 2011 budget include a priority on the risk avoidance abstinence education approach. As presently written, legislative language within the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program strays from the typical public health model which emphasizes primary prevention. NAEA appreciates the leadership of the Congressmen who support optimal sexual health for youth.

Action step: Call and email the following Members of Congress, thanking them for supporting abstinence-centered education.
Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) : 202-225-2701
Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA) : 202-225-6531
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC) : 202-225-2731
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) : 202-225-5701

Read the letter here.

Obama Administration Reveals New Priorities for HIV/AIDS Prevention

Tuesday, the President unveiled a nationwide approach to fight HIV/AIDS in America.  The proposal would create a uniform strategy coordinating federal, state and community efforts.
According to the report,
“The United States currently provides more than $19 billion in annual funding for domestic HIV prevention, care, and research, and there are constraints on the magnitude of any potential new investments in the Federal budget “

The new policy recognizes the priority of abstinence to reducing the transmission of HIV as : “ scientifically proven biomedical and behavioral [approach] that reduce the probability of HIV transmission:
••Abstinence from sex or drug use: Abstaining from sexual activity and substance use reduces the risk of HIV infection. In cases where this may not be possible, limiting the number of partners and taking other steps can lower the risk of acquiring HIV.”
The plan, however, does not detail how risk avoidance will be a meaningful part of the implementation effort.

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/onap/nhas

Concerned Democrats Ask Chairman Obey to Fund Abstinence Education

Democratic House Members recently sent a letter to Appropriations Committee Chairman, David Obey (D-WI). The letter asks that the FY 2011 budget include a priority on the risk avoidance abstinence education approach. As presently written, legislative language within the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program strays from the typical public health model which emphasizes primary prevention. NAEA appreciates the leadership of the Congressmen who support optimal sexual health for youth.

Action step: Call and email the following Members of Congress, thanking them for supporting abstinence-centered education.
Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) : 202-225-2701
Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA) : 202-225-6531
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC) : 202-225-2731
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) : 202-225-5701

To view letter, click here:

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/e71e76ba0a0760415775e4352/files/FY11_Abstinence_Education_Letter.pdf

Support More Funding for Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs

We need your help to make sure that programs that help prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy are adequately funded next year!

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees are poised to take action on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (aka “Labor-H) bill this week. Let them know that funding for teen and unplanned pregnancy prevention are a priority TODAY.

 http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/policymakers/tell_congress.aspx

Keith Deltano – Bullying

Reduce Teen and Unintended Pregnancy – Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary DHHS

“Our goal is for all Americans to live healthier, more prosperous, and more productive lives.”

–Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary DHHS