Strategies for Modifying the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Questionnaire

1. Strategies for Modifying the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Questionnaire The Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation 1900 Association Drive, Suite 100, Reston, Virginia 20191-1599 Office 703-390-4599 Fax 703-476-0988 www.thesociety.org

2. Call Objectives • Understand the history of questions pertaining to LGBTQ youth in state and local YRBS's and CDC's YRBS questionnaire modification guidelines • Identify key stakeholders in the process of adding questions to the YRBS questionnaire • Learn strategies for building stakeholder support for modifying your questionnaire • Increase knowledge around strategies for adding questions pertaining to LGBTQ youth to the YRBS questionnaire • Identify potential challenges to modifying YRBS questionnaires to include same sex behavior and identity questions, and ways to address these challenges • Identify innovative uses for data collected through YRBS in order to address health disparities among youth in their state or city Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

3. Call Agenda • Opening – background provided on YRBS • State / City perspectives – speakers will share their experiences with getting questions added to the YRBS around topics of sexuality and LGBTQ issues • process strategies • challenges • lessons learned • Successes • Question and Answer – state and local participants will have an opportunity to ask the speakers about their experiences and share lessons learned. • Closing – Next Steps Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

4. Our Speakers • Laura Kann - Branch Chief, Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Branch DASH • Janet Ray - Education Associate: School Health Programs, Delaware Department of Education • Barbara Huscher Cohen M.A., M.L.A., M.Ed. – Boston Public Schools, Comprehensive Sexuality Education k-12, CDC YRBS Project Director • Dr. Glenn Steinhausen – Principal Consultant and HIV Project Director with the Illinois State Board of Education • Tim Kordic – LAUSD, Health Education Programs, HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

5. Talking Points Laura Kann - Branch Chief, Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Branch, DASH • CDC's support for adding same sex sexual behaviors to well established YRBS's • Current number of sites that include questions regarding sexual risk behaviors, including same sex behavior and identity • History of same sex sexual behavior questions on the YRBS • CDC process for questionnaire modifications and “optional question list  • Explanation of “weighted data” Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

6. Talking PointsDeveloping a Strategic Plan for supporting Sexual Minority Youth (SMY) Delaware Established the JUST for Youth Coalition 2001 Janet Ray Education Associate: School Health Programs Delaware Department of Education Dover, DE  • Reviewed national data • Identified Stakeholders: • education, community, families, government, faith-based & industry • Contact Resources • APA, Advocates for Youth, NEA, National Network for Youth, NSBA, SIECUS, ASHA, PFLAG, etc • Established priorities and a timeline • Obtained funding (mini-grants CDC/HIV & Title IV) Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

7. Developing a Strategic Plan for supporting Sexual Minority Youth (SMY)(continued) • Established workgroups (Curriculum & PD, Advocacy, Evaluation & Surveillance; Community Partnerships and Planning & Coordination) to set measurable objectives. • Facilitation & PD provided by APA • Expanded HIV review panel to reflect interested parties working with diverse populations • Sponsored statewide conference with national partners (keynote by Sec. of Ed.) • Added questions to YRBS in 2001 • Data used to address health priorities of LGBTQ youth / Additional funding obtained Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

8. Talking Points Barbara Huscher Cohen M.A., M.L.A, M.Ed.Boston Public Schools Comprehensive Sexuality Education K-12 CDC YRBS Project Director Safe and Drug Free Schools • In Massachusetts, GLBTQ's are respected, have rights, and can marry  • We use our data to enforce Gay Straight Alliances (GSA)that we try to have in every middle and high school with an appointed teacher to run the GSA • GSA’s are used to address bullying and to create safe feelings at school • GSA’s also touch upon the issue of for unwanted pregnancies among students identifying as lesbians Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

9. Talking Points Dr. Glenn Steinhausen Principal Consultant and HIV Project Director with the Illinois State Board of Education • “Chicago has been doing this for several years now, and we felt it was important to be able to compare their results with state level data. ” • Serving LGBTQ youth is an important part of my CDC workplan with two of my three goals reflecting these issues:  • Sustaining healthy social-emotional climates for LGBTQ students in schools • Using policies that support HIV prevention program and services in schools. • Strategy: Creating a rationale for adding sexual identity questions to the YRBS questionnaire, for the State Superintendant of Education to present to the Board of Education (see attached) Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

10. Talking PointsYRBS and LGBTQ, Los Angeles Unified School District, HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit Tim Kordic LAUSD - Health Education Programs, HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit Los Angeles, CA • Know your audience (stakeholders) • Know your parameters (limitations) • Know your resources • Understand your data, history, and populations • Use other research • Do your homework on styles of media • Get another opinion www.AIDSpreventionLAUSD.net Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

11. Next Steps… • Let us know if these strategies were helpful! A brief survey will be distributed following the call to collect your feedback • Keep us posted on your progress! Please share your successes and challenges as you advocate for change on the YRBS questionnaire in your state or city • Join us for future discussions on how to use data collected on LGBTQ youth… stay tuned for upcoming calls • Thank you for your participation Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education & Recreation