CDC's program to promote science-based approaches to prevent teen pregnancy: Creativity, capacity, and partnerships

Despite substantial declines in the U.S. teen pregnancy rate in the past decade, the U.S. continues to have significantly higher teen pregnancy and birth rates than Canada and Western European nations. Adolescent childbearing costs the U.S. approximately $9 billion per year. The decline in U.S. teen pregnancy rates has been largely due to improved contraceptive use. The purpose of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Promoting Science-Based Approaches to Prevent Teen Pregnancy program is to increase the capacity of regional, state, and local youth-serving organizations to select, implement, and evaluate science-based approaches to prevent teen pregnancy, STDs, and HIV. Current trends, prevalence, and disparities in teen pregnancy will be presented, and CDC's definition of science-based approaches to teen pregnancy prevention will be discussed. Project examples will be presented of regional and state organizations that have developed partnerships and taken creative policy and funding approaches to increase capacity and promote science-based approaches in the communities they serve. Strategies presented include the Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting and their work with Hennepin County decision-makers, the school system, and Parks and Recreation to review curricula and implement science-based programs; and the work of JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc. to foster a partnership between the Connecticut Department of Health and Connecticut Department of Education to establish comprehensive reproductive health education in schools.