ABSTRACT: Teen Straight Talk: A Community Sex Education Program for Parents and Teens

Texas has some of the highest rates in the county of teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), low birth weight babies, preterm births, infant mortality, neonatal complications, along with child physical and sexual abuse. One West Texas community also ranked one of the highest in these categories in the state of Texas and subsequently in the United States. Many community health care and educational leaders believe that one reason for these multiple health concerns was the requirement for teaching abstinence only education in the high schools. Teens and preteens were not learning about sex, protection, contraception, or responsibilities and consequences of being sexually active, and many parents did not feel they were prepared to talk with their children about these topics. After many years of rising rates, increased taxed dollars spent and lives of teens and their babies in turmoil, this Texas community took action to start a comprehensive community sex education program for parents and their teens. The goal was to start a dialogue between parents, teens and even preteens on sexual health topics including abstinence, how the body works and male/female anatomy, the responsibilities and consequences of choosing to have sex, what is an STD and how to protect from contracting them or becoming pregnant. This presentation will explain how the program was established, and how any community in the country can take similar action.