REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION COLLABORATIVE

What is the Reproductive Health Education Collaborative?

Advisory Council for the Collaborative

Project Coordinator

Health Educator

WHAT IS THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION COLLABORATIVE?

PURPOSE

To improve adolescent sexual health by reducing the incidence of risk-taking sexual behaviors in teens, lowering

teen pregnancy rates, and reducing the number of sexually transmitted infections through comprehensive sexuality

education, reproductive health care services and community-wide social change.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Accurate information and communication about sexuality is essential to healthy communities.

• Parents are, and should be the primary sexuality educators of their children.

• All people have a fundamental right to comprehensive sexuality education. People who have explored their own values and attitudes and have accurate information are in the best position to make healthy decisions about their lives.

• Comprehensive sexuality education is based on the values of self-worth, dignity, personal responsibility and respect for the health and safety of others.

• Human sexuality education should be comprehensive, scientifically accurate and evidence-based; and it should provide information that is age and experience appropriate.

• Comprehensive sexuality education programs should be culturally competent, respectful of diversity and reflective of the values of the communities served.

GOALS

• Build public support to realistically address the sexual health of youth.

• Engage youth in the process of improving their sexual health — from planning to implementation.

• Improve parent/caregiver-child communication about human sexuality.

FOUR PROGRAM AREAS TO IMPACT ADOLESCENT SEXUAL HEALTH

• Age appropriate, comprehensive human sexuality education to help youth develop healthy sexual attitudes and behaviors.

• Training and resources to help parents communicate with their children about sex.

• Training for professionals who work with youth.

• Community organizing for social change around norms that advance a positive vision of youth and their capacity to make responsible decisions about their sexual health when provided information, taught skills and given support to do so.

WHAT LOCAL ISSUES DOES THE COLLABORATIVE ADDRESS?

•Ohio teens participate in risky sexual behaviors. Only 56% of them are abstinent. Of those who are not, just 60% used a condom the last time they had sex. (www.childtrends.org)

• Teen birth rates are on the rise. In 2006, Clark County ranked 3rd of 88 Ohio counties in births to mothers age 15- 17. Champaign County ranked 15th. (www.odh.ohio.gov) The birth rate for girls age 15-19 in both counties is 52/1,000, significantly higher than the US birth rate of 42/1,000. (National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 56, No. 7, December 2007, Pg. 2.)

• Locally, the vast majority of teen pregnancies result in live births. The abortion rate for teens age 15-19 is just 10/1,000 vs. 52/1,000 live births. (ODH Information Warehouse)

• Clark County has more infectious disease activity than comparable Ohio counties, and this particularly is true for gonorrhea infections. Chlamydia also is on the rise. (ODRS database, a confidential system used statewide at health departments to track reportable infectious diseases.)

• In Clark County, gonorrhea and chlamydia rates have been increasing since 2003. Our rates are as much as triple other Ohio counties of similar size and demographics. (ODH Information Warehouse) Half of new STI cases each year occur in young people age 15-24. (“Sexually transmitted diseases among American youth: incidence and prevalence estimates, 2000,” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2004, 36(1):6-10.)

(Boonstra H, “Public health advocates say campaign to disparage condoms threatens STI prevention efforts,”

• In a 2007 Ohio Department of Health study that matched parents and youth, just 15% of parents and 11% of youth thought abstinence-only sex education was appropriate for high school students. (Public Policy Issues, Robert L. Seufert, Ph.D., January 11, 2008, Applied Research Center of Miami University of Ohio.)

The Collaborative’s “abstinence plus” or “comprehensive” curriculum urges teens to delay sex and identifies abstinence from sexual activity as the only completely risk-free behavior. However, it also provides medically accurate information about contraception, reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS for those who choose to have sex.

Our curriculum does not articulate sexual ideals and morality; rather, it emphasizes healthy behaviors and focuses on reducing risk associated with sexual activity. The Collaborative approaches its work from a health and safety viewpoint, rather than from a particular faith or values-based perspective.

The Collaborative’s curriculum and approach is consistent with 2008 draft guidelines developed by the Ohio Department of Health for Sexual Health and Adoption Education and the research findings of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy that identifies characteristics of effective curriculum-based programs. (Emerging Answers, 2007, Douglas Kirby, PhD.) www.thenationalcampaign.org

Return to top

COLLABORATIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Advisory Council sets policy and provides guidance for the project. It collects and disseminates local data, identifies gaps and determines needs, identifies target audiences for programming, sets strategic direction, establishes appropriate programs and monitors and evaluates programs. The Council includes individuals from 15 local organizations and includes nurses, educators, social workers, clergy, physicians and court personnel.

Susan Bailey

Manager

Bailey and Bailey, Attorneys at Law

Julia Black

PATH Coordinator, Supervisor

Clark County Board of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities

Brenda Carter

Stegall & Associates Realty

Christina Conover, RN

Director of Nursing

Clark County Combined Health District

Clara Copeland

Teacher

Snyder Park Elementary School

Stefania Falke

Intake Supervisor, Children’s/Alternative Response Services

Clark County Department of Job and Family Services

Marie Flickinger

Chair

PPSWO Clark County Leadership Council

Sara Garten

Outreach Coordinator

Project Woman

Peggy Kelly

GRADS Instructor

Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center

Cindy Kuntz McCurdy

Girl Scouts of America

Kathryn McKee, MD

Pamela Cross Young, Ph.D.

Board of Trustees, Community Hospital Health Services Foundation

Return to top

Community Hospital Health Services Foundation (CHF) contracts with a part-time project coordinator to promote the Collaborative’s programs and projects and provide staff support to the Advisory Council.

For more information or to schedule youth, parent and professional training programs contact Kathie Harbaugh, Project Coordinator, 937-207-1860, RHECoordinator@communityhospitalfoundation.org

Kathie Harbaugh is the former Executive Director of American Red Cross, Clark County Chapter, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the past Director of Public Relations and Development for Oesterlen Services for Youth. She spent the first 13 years of her career in education, fund development, outreach and public affairs with Planned Parenthood of West Central Ohio. She has extensive experience in researching funding sources, developing funding plans and writing winning grant proposals.

Return to top

HEALTH EDUCATOR ALESSA HUBBELL

CHF provides funding for a Planned Parenthood trained health educator to deliver youth and parent sexual education programming in Clark and Champaign counties. For information regarding program content and pedagogy contact Alessa Hubbell, Health Educator, 937-528-4662, ahubbell@communityhospitalfoundation.org.