Social Policy & Services Taskforce on Teen Pregnancy

1. Social Policy & ServicesTaskforce on Teen Pregnancy Wendy Huang Blayne Lopes Jessica Naddaff Ashley Talbert

2. Problem Definition “Social problems are labeled, constructed, and defined by individuals and groups, and these labels are accepted or rejected by society based more on the power and skill of the individual or group than on any objective manifestation of the condition being defined.” (Popple & Leighninger, 2011, p. 75.)

3. Problem Definition – The “Good” News • The U.S. teenage birth rate reached an historic low in 2009, after an uptick in 2006 and 2007. • The current teenage birthrate stands at 39.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.

4. Number of Births & Birth Rate for Teenagers Aged 15-19

5. Problem Definition – The Bad News • The U.S. teenage birth rate remains the highest among industrialized countries. • Nearly two-thirds of births to women younger than age 18 and more than half of those among 18−19 year olds are unintended.

6. Teen Birth Rates in Industrialized Countries

7. Problem Definition – A Vicious Cycle Children born to teen parents often have a unique set of needs which leave them at increased risk for repeating early parenting, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty among future generations.

8. Problem Definition:Our Focus - Education • In late 2009, President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress approved a major change in federal sex-education funding. • The change marks the first time in nearly 30 years that the federal government will fund any school sex education other than so-called abstinence-only programs.

9. Colonial & 19th Century America • Adolescent pregnancy was not considered a problem because of biology and social norms • Like today, men were condoned for having sex while women were not • For women with unwanted pregnancies, abortions were an option

10. 20th Century • In the early 1900’s, a culture of dating and premarital intercourse emerged • Teen Pregnancy was not a problem because young couples would have shotgun weddings

11. The 70’s and 80’s • Teen Pregnancy “epidemic” • Family Planning and Population Research Act of 1970 -Title X • Title IX- Education Amendment of 1972 • Adolescent Family Life Demonstration Projects-Title XX

12. 1990’s • During the 90’s more infants are being born to single mothers • During the Clinton Administration the Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is enacted effecting welfare of teen moms • In 2006, Bush Jr. advocates for abstinence in teens and toward young people up at age 29

13. Plan B • Plan B is an emergency oral contraceptive • Not every state requires it to be available at all pharmacies due to a Conscious Clause • Massachusetts State Law requires that it be made available within 24 hours

14. Daycare • Currently most schools lack programs to help teen moms • Salem High School has the Teen Parenting Program • Teen Parents are available to meet with students at risk of becoming pregnant

15. Teen Pregnancy in the Media

16. Teen Mom’s as TV Stars Benefits Worries While the four teen moms may struggle on the show they are also on magazine covers each week Worries that teen pregnancy looks glamorous, girls may want their fifteen minutes of fame • The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy applauds MTV's efforts. "I think any effort that puts this issue in front of millions of teenagers week in and week out is a net win”.

17. ‘Juno’ Effect • "The Juno Effect": By talking about pregnant girls and by portraying them through the media as ordinary, we’ll get more teens having babies. • "In the context of parents still not comfortable talking with their children about sex, with schools talking only about abstinence until marriage and with religion saying it's still a sin, the media have become very powerful sex educators." (Pesca, 2008)

18. Pregnancy Pact • The Gloucester Pregnancy Pact was considered to be part of the ‘Juno’ Effect • Girls in devastated inner cities are susceptible to messages from movies and pregnant stars such as Jamie Lynn Spears • In 2010, Lifetime created the move “The Pregnancy Pact”

19. Do you think Hollywood makes teen pregnancy attractive to teens?

20. Systems Must address the systems that allow racism to continue and change the fundamental conditions that help to maintain racially disparate outcomes.

21. What’s the Problem? Consider the social world inhabited by a poor woman. What meaning might having a child add to her life?

22. Race – General Trends • The teen pregnancy rate increased for every racial/ethnic subgroup between 2005 and 2006. • Birth rates for teenagers fell in 2009 for all racial and ethnic groups. • Non-Hispanic black youth, Hispanic/Latino youth, American Indian/Alaska Native youth, and socioeconomically disadvantaged youth of any race or ethnicity experience the highest rates of teen pregnancy and childbirth.

23. Birth Rates by Race/Ethnicity

24. Hispanic Teens • Latinas have the highest teen pregnancy rate and teen birth rate of any major ethnic/racial minority in the country. • Despite a considerably higher birth rate than any other group, Latinas have similar rates of sexual activity. • Access is the problem.

25. African American Teens • 50% of black teen girls get pregnant at least once before age 20—nearly twice the national average. • Despite an increase between 2005 and 2006, the pregnancy rates among black teen girls have declined dramatically over the past fifteen years. • Similar issues regarding lack of Access & Opportunity to Latina teens.

26. Socioeconomic Status • A very high proportion of teen births occurs in low-income families. • Disparities in rates across different racial/ethnic groups reduce significantly when socio-economic status is considered. • Federal interest in the teen pregnancy “problem” largely a result of the fact that babies born to poor families are more likely to end up needing taxpayer-supported benefits.

27. Sexism • Messaging in a lot of the sex education and abstinence only education is punitive rather than supportive. • Abstinence only education ties a woman’s morality and personal worth to her sexual purity. • Women, especially poor women, have limited capacity for economic independence due to the policies currently in place.

28. Heterosexism Comprehensive sexuality education unlikely to include any positive reference to same-sex relationships. In fact, sexual orientation is among the three most likely topics to be excluded from a sexuality education course.

29. LGBTQ • Young lesbian women are more likely to experience pregnancy than their heterosexual counterparts. • LGBTQ youth may have twice the risk of experiencing an unintended pregnancy as their non-LGBTQ peers.

30. Abelism Disabled youth are at an increased risk for abuse and are often ignored when it comes to sexuality education because of the perception that they are unlikely to engage in sexual activity.

31. Age – General Trends • Birth rates overall and by race and ethnicity are consistently higher for ages 18-19 than for ages 15-17. • Although the downward trend for both age groups has been similar, long-term declines were smaller for older teenagers.

32. Ageism • Young women are generally disempowered in the arena of their reproductive health. • Often assumed that a woman’s age will determine how well she is able to mother her children. • Stigma of being a young mother – young motherhood is not the problem in itself. • Need to speak a language that respects all youth.

33. Geographic Trends • Research shows that neighborhood-level variables, like higher median household income, and better access to family planning services, are predictors of higher contraceptive use among adolescent women. • State-specific teenage birth rates are highest across the southern United States.

35. Other Marginalized & Oppressed Groups • Youth in Foster Care - 2.5 times more likely to have been pregnant by the age of 19 as compared to young people not in foster care. • Homeless and Runaway Youth - Less likely to receive any sexuality education because of their lack of engagement in the usual delivery systems.

36. Implications • Punitive public policies. • Marriage is promoted as a cure to systemic poverty. • Policymakers assume it's possible to compel women to modify their behavior without addressing the structural factors that push low-income women into single motherhood in the first place.

37. Abstinence-ONLY • Abstinence-only education is a valued based pedagogy because it contains family and religious values • Teaches sexual activity outside of marriage has harmful physiological and psychological effects • Prohibition on discussing contraceptive or safe sex practices

38. Abstinence Advocates • Sex before marriage is inappropriate and immoral • Abstinence is only 100% effective method to prevent pregnancy and STIs • Information about sex, contraception and HIV can encourage early sexual activity • Traditional values and religious faith , consistent with abstinence message, have positive effects

39. Only6 states allow same-sex marriage What message does this send to youth who identify as LGBTQ? Is this message inclusive?

40. Comprehensive Education Advocates • Respects the diversity of values and beliefs represented in the community and is complimentary to the sexuality education child receives from caregiver or family • Encourage abstinence but inform participants about STI and HIV prevention • Utilize demographic, epidemiological and social science research to identify populations at risk of early pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections • Utilize health behavior to guide the selection of risk and protective factors and selection of intervention activities

41. Changing Values

42. American society has been developing more permissive attitudes toward sexuality since the 1960s and 1970s • Overwhelming pressure for both young males and females to be sexually active • Decreased fear of AIDS/HIV leading to less use of condoms or contraceptives • Unmarried parenthood less stigmatized than in the past among both teens and adults • Changing values surrounding the institution of marriage

43. 87% of American public support strengthening a culture of personal responsibility regarding sex, getting pregnant, and bringing children into the world.

44. Latino/Hispanic Values • The taboo against teen pregnancy is not strong in many Hispanic communities • Families and children are a blessing in many Latino cultures • Hispanic girls who become pregnant are less likely to have an abortion • Large number of Roman Catholics among the nation's Hispanics • Two-thirds of Latino teens are the children of immigrants

45. Civil Rights Dilemma • The discrimination that “teen moms” face at school is a major reason many of them drop out of school • Pregnant teens are sometimes excluded from attending regular classes because they are seen as a distraction. • In many instances, parenting teens are not provided with the necessary support services, such as day care and adequate transportation, which they need to stay in school.

46. For example: • At a suburban school district, an administrator who felt that a pregnant teen would present an “inappropriate image” of the school refused to allow the 17-year-old mother to participate in her graduation ceremony. • A junior high school administrator tore down the poster of a pregnant girl who was running for school office claiming that she was “advertising” pregnancy. • In schools throughout California, girls are being strong-armed into attending separate programs for pregnant minors. Girls whom remain at their high school face unlawful discrimination.

47. National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Mission is to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families and, in particular, to help ensure that children are born into stable, two-parent families who are committed to and ready for the task of raising the children. Change the way the public views the problem Encourage careful, consistent use of family planning Encourage responsible, healthy relationships Support evidence-based polices Educate policymakers Works directly with young people

48. The Virginia Teen Pregnancy Prevention Partnership for Youth in Foster Care Ensure that older adolescents who transition out of foster care will have the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge that will encourage and promote healthy sexual behaviors. • Educating foster parents, foster case managers, Independent Living Program staff, social workers, youth advocates, group home directors and human service providers on the following: • adolescent reproductive health and behavioral risk reduction • skills for implementing Power Through Choices (PTC), a comprehensive curriculum designed specifically for youth in foster care and group home settings. • teen sexual communication • issues faced by young males in out-of-home care to help them avoid early parenting and delinquency in child support.

49. The Candies Foundation “Pause before you play…”

50. Birds and Bees Text Line BrdsNBz was the first service of its kind in the US The BrdsNBz Text Message Warm Line - that's Birds and Bees - provides accurate, nonjudgmental answers to teens' questions about sex and relationships in North Carolina. Teens can text their question to BrdsNBz, and a trained staff member will provide a medically accurate, non-judgemental, confidential and free answer within 24 hours.