The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) received an award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for the Personal Responsibility and Education Program (PREP). PREP grants provide youth with comprehensive sex education and life skills that enable them to make responsible decisions to lead safe and healthy lives. All of the programs are required to teach abstinence and contraception/condom use. Additional areas of positive youth development are also addressed through PREP, such as healthy relationships, healthy life skills and education/career success.
Garfield County Department of Human Services in partnership with Family Visitor Programs, was awarded the local funds as one of three counties in the state. We intend to decrease the teen pregnancy and STI rates by 2% by 2014.
Who are we?
A regional Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition made up of health service providers, social service providers, teachers, counselors, nurses, parents, law enforcement and policy makers have been meeting for several years with the mission of decreasing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in Garfield County. The PREP grant provided the funds to hire Gretchen O'Byrne, MA to coordinate the PREP project.
What are we doing?
Garfield County PREP is addressing teen pregnancy from several directions.
- Providing parent education classes to help parents learn how to talk with their teens about sex (Raices y Alas or Roots and Wing)
- Providing training, implementation and funding for evidence-based, youth comprehensive sexual health education curricula (Cuidate!, Draw the Line, Respect the Line)
- Supporting schools by facilitating parent and community conversations about sexual health education in the schools
- Educating the community on the state law and academic standards that have aligned to make comprehensive sexual health education available for all students in Colorado
- Supporting youth in the development of leadership skills, adult life skills and healthy relationship skills
How do I learn more?
Contact Gretchen O'Byrne at garfieldcountyprep@gmail.com or 970-319-2182
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