Upcoming events

Can our communities afford a 45% spike in the teen pregnancy rate?- URGENT ADVOCACY NEEDED

An important note from Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy:


Dear Advocates,


We urgently need you to contact your US Senators NOW to ask them to restore federal funding for teen pregnancy prevention and family planning.
Last Friday, the US House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would eliminate two very effective, cost-saving prevention programs from the federal budget. These service cuts would increase Massachusetts' teen pregnancy rate by about 45% and add more than $51 million in costs to Massachusetts taxpayers almost immediately.* Now the Senate needs to decide if they think our communities can afford more teen pregnancies.


In 2008, Title X family planning programs helped our state avoid 4,672 teen pregnancies. Eliminating Title X and the new Teen Pregnancy Prevention initiatives will result in a near immediate 45% spike in the state's teen pregnancy rate.The spike in unplanned pregnancies will cost Massachusetts taxpayers an additional $51+ million each year.The US House of Representatives' CR eliminates the new Office of Adolescent Health, which has committed more than $28 million to Massachusetts projects over the next five years. This will eliminate jobs and reduce Massachusetts' infrastructure for helping communities combat teen pregnancy, and will eliminate the new Alliance project, Youth First, in Springfield and Holyoke.


Please call Senators Brown and Kerry TODAY and ask them to be more fiscally responsible than the House by protecting Title X and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives in the budget.


Senator Scott Brown (R- MA)
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Boston (617) 565-3170           D.C. (202) 224-4543
EMAIL: http://scottbrown.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme


Senator John F. Kerry (D- MA)
218 Russell Bldg., Second Floor
Washington, D.C. 20510
Boston (617) 565-8519         D.C. (202) 224-2742 
EMAIL: http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/


Sample script:
 
My name is ______and I am calling from ________.  I urge Senator______ to vote to protect funding for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative and Title X. The cuts that have passed the House would have a devastating impact on efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy and the huge costs associated with it, HIV, and other STDs, and would undermine low-income people's access to health care. These cuts are not about "fiscal responsibility" or "reducing government spending." They are about eliminating access to comprehensive sex education, family planning, sexual and reproductive health services, and HIV/STD prevention for those most in need.


The Senate will take this up on Monday.  CALL NOW!


*Think our numbers sound extreme? The Guttmacher Institute just released a state-by-state analysis of the impact of Title X on the states. The analysis showed that without Title X, Massachusetts' teen pregnancy rate would be 45% higher. We haven't seen rates that high since teen pregnancy "boom" of the 1990s. While educational programs help youth avoid pregnancy in the long run, Title X helps them avoid pregnancy immediately. That means, without those Title X services, teens - and our communities - would see the immediate impact of an unplanned pregnancy. See more of the Guttmacher Institute's data here.

Youth First Grant Press Conference

Youth First Grant Press

The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, the YEAH Network, and our partners met for the first Tier 2 Federal Grant meeting on Tuesday October 12th. This was the first of many meetings after being awarded the $5.5 million Youth First grant. The Federal Grant will be used in the cities of Holyoke and Springfield to reduce the teen pregnancy rates. This is a a capacity building grant and will help agencies that are already in place.

To view news coverage, visit these links:

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/Teen-Pregnancy-Prevention--104811329.html

http://www.masslive.com/chicopeeholyoke/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-29/1286956361149210.xml&coll=1

Youth First Grant Press Conference

Tuesday, October 12th at 12pm there will be a press conference announcing the Youth First Grant. This will take place at the YWCA in Springfield. A meeting with the partners, including the YEAH Network,  will follow at 12:30.

ATTN: Holyoke Parents of 8th graders

A FREE Event for Holyoke Public School Parents 

of current 8^th  graders soon to be 9^th graders!

 Dinner catered by Salsarengue Restaurant

Childcare provided for younger siblings

Dean Technical High School on Tuesday, June 15, 2010

5:00pm – 7:00pm

And

Holyoke High School on Wednesday, June 16, 2010

5:00pm – 7:00pm

Please RSVP to Mary Fago at 534-2033

This will be an interactive meeting facilitated by Consuela Greene, Prevention Program Coordinator for the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy in Boston, and by Mary Fago, Director of the Teen Clinics, with support from Jaime Cotto, Middle-to-High School Transition Coordinator/HPS and Interim Director of ENLACE/HCC, and Patty Alford, School Nurse Supervisor.

Girls, Inc. of Holyoke is currently hiring

Do you have what it takes to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold?  Summer staff positions to facilitate innovative, girl-centered programming.  Responsible for teaching a range of curricula that may include science and math, theater, adventure programming, art, media literacy, study skills, and health and wellness.  Prior experience in the field of youth development, early childhood education, or other related experience working with youth required.  In your cover letter, please identify if you are interested in and/or have experience working with girls 5-12 or 12-18 years old.   Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, bilingual preferred.  Valid driver’s license required.  40 hrs/wk, competitive pay.  If you are self directed with a proven track record of successful youth programming, send cover letter, resume, and names of three references by 5/21 to Girls Incorporated of Holyoke, P.O. Box 6812, Holyoke, MA 01041 ATTN: Sarah Dunton, Director of Youth Development Programs.    EOE.

Resource Guide

This summer, the YEAH! Network is putting together a resource guide that we hope can be used by community agencies, those who work with youth, and youth themselves.

While there are many organizations doing wonderful work in Hampden County, there is often a lack of knowledge outside of these organizations about the work they do.  Our goals for the guide are to: 

·      Connect organizations that serve youth

·      Provide concise, easy to access information on services available to the community

The guide will eventually be provided both on our website and in a printed form.  Please visit the following site to complete the community Engagement form that will help us put together the resource guide: Click here to take survey

YEAH! Network 4th Annual Conference

Thanks to everyone who came out for the conference.  We had a great day with over 70 community members participating in lectures, workshops and networking.  We would like to thank all those who came out, but especially our workshop leaders: Sarah Perez McAdoo, Cindy Miller, Teresa Vazquez, Penny Sotiropolous, Erica Fletcher, Maureen Holland, Leslie Kayan, Elizabeth Wood, Waleska Santiago,  Maria Figueroa, and Sandy Serrano.  

 

Thanks also to the key note speakers: Dr. Katharine White and Dr. Laura Koenigs who helped put the discussion in context.  

We were also joined by both Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno and Holyoke Mayor Elaine Plueta.  Both spoke eloquently about their belief in the power of communities to change - and about how both Springfield and Holyoke are making strides towards lowering the rates of unintended teen pregnancy.

Thank you also to all the Board members and YEAH! Network members who helped to make the day run smoothly.

National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy - Holyoke Press Conference

Mayor Elaine Pluta speaks about the importance of a community wide response to the issue of teen pregnancy.   The event (which was covered by channel 3 news ) was attended by members of recently convened Holyoke task force, members of the Holyoke Board of Health, teens from both Girls Inc and the YEAH! Network AAB, as well as community members and parents.

Jacquline Yos, mother of 2 Holyoke teens, speaks about why she supports comprehensive science based sex education in the schools, with translation by Teresa Vazquez.





Kevin Garcia, a long time member of the AAB, speaks about his mind on teen pregnancy and the importance of sex education in the high school.  He is surrounded by members of Girls Inc. and the AAB.

Advocacy Alert! Holyoke press conference on Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day

Please take a look at the Press Release from the Mayor's Office in Holyoke.  We will be joining the mayor tomorrow, together with other members of the Holyoke community.  We would love to see you there!

FROM: The Office of Mayor Elaine A Pluta
DATE:   May 3, 2010
RE:  Teen Pregnancy Task Force
CONTACT PERSON:  Nilka M Ortiz / 322-5511

Mayor Elaine A Pluta and Holyoke Board of Health Teen Pregnancy Task Force will be holding a press conference on Wednesday, May 5 at 11:15 a.m. in front of City Hall located at 536 Dwight Street.  The Mayor is inviting the community of Holyoke to participate in this event to support the National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Campaign.

We will be addressing our goal of supporting the role schools play in the implementation of the science-based health curriculum, grant monies for the program and presentation of the Adolescent Advisory Board.  We will also stress the framing of these issues, of its effect on the health, economic, and community welfare of our city.

This task force has been formed to address the Teen Birth Rate in the City of Holyoke which has positioned our city on first place for 4 years in a row.  Because we know how important education is, we have to play a part in changing the dynamics of the City for a better future.

For further information, please contact 413-322-5511.

SASHA Community Luncheon

 On Tuesday, 27 May 2010, the Springfield Adolescent Sexual Health Advisory (SASHA) hosted a luncheon in partnership with the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services at the Basketball Hall of Fame (read Masslive's coverage here.)  Approximately 100 community partners were in attendance, as was Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno, Superintendent Dr. Alan Ingram, representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Health, representatives from the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy and the YEAH! Network.

SASHA was first convened by Mayor Sarno in response to the high number of births and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among Springfield youth.  SASHA is made up of community advocates, representatives of the school district, parents, teen leaders, and representatives from the medical community.  SASHA's mission is to build community capacity and engage parents, teens and policymakers in preventing unintended teen pregnancy and STIs.  To achieve this goal, the community must be engaged in a coordinated effort, necessitating collaboration with community partners: parents, teens and community based organizations. 

In order to implement a strategy to increase educational attainment and expand economic opportunities for our youth, four action groups have been established:  Community, Business/Philanthropic, Education, and Medical/Public Health.   These action groups seek to build upon the strengths that already exist within the community and create a plan to operationalize objectives that foster integration and collaboration. 

If you are interested in helping Springfield and SASHA move forward with these goals, please read the descriptions of the action groups below, find the one that best suits you, your strengths and interests, and contact the YEAH! Network at:  info@yeahnetwork.org.   (Please note, this email is checked twice a week.)   As SASHA continues to meet and synthesize information gathered at the luncheon, please look for updates on the YEAH Network blog. 

Action Groups
Community Engagement - Juan Genera

• Community Education and outreach to increase awareness and strengthen parental and teen involvement 
• Improve Parent-Child communication relating to sexual health

Business/Philanthropic - Hector Toledo

• As critical members of the Greater Springfield Community, our business and philanthropic partners can ensure that our message is shared and provide critical funding that will be needed to continue out very important work

Education - Dr. Ann Southworth

• Ensure the vision of curriculum implementation, evaluation of the implementation process, forming community linkages for student referrals

Medical/Public Health - Helen Caulton-Harris,  Dr. Sara Perez McAdoo

• Improve access and reduce obstacles to quality reproductive health services for youth

Links between Cumulative Hardships and Health in Low Income Young Children

In an article published in the April 2010 journal Pediatrics, Cumulative Hardship and Wellness of Low-Income, Young Children: Multisite Surveillance Study, researchers found that, "...deprivations in early life can become biologically embedded, forcing children onto negative trajectories that jeopardize their health, their school readiness, and their ability to earn a living as adults. We also know that the remedies for many of these hardships are within reach if our society chooses to prescribe them."

The article focuses on how material hardships in the form of "...lack of access to enough healthful food for an active healthy life...unstable or overcrowded housing...[and] inability of families to afford consistent home heating or cooling" (Science Daily) will negatively impact the physiology of a child.  So, the more exposure a child has to these material hardships, the more likely that child is to experience remedial growth, poor health and poor development.

These findings further support the belief that the earlier a positive intervention takes place in a child's life, the more likely that child will be to live a healthy, successful life.

Journal Reference: Deborah A. Frank, Patrick H. Casey, Maureen M. Black, Ruth Rose-Jacobs, Mariana Chilton, Diana Cutts, Elizabeth March, Timothy Heeren, Sharon Coleman, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, and John T. Cook. Cumulative Hardship and Wellness of Low-Income, Young Children: Multisite Surveillance Study. Pediatrics, 2010 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-1078

Science News Reference: Boston University Medical Center (2010, April 13). Pediatricians find link between cumulative hardships and health in low-income young children. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/04/100412075441.htm#

With thanks to Betty Medina Lichtenstein, who brought this article to the attention of the YEAH! Network.

SASHA Community Luncheon - April 27, 2010

Advocacy Alert: Holyoke Teens Gain Access to Sex Education!

On the same day the Republican Newspaper published an article about the rising teen birth rates in Holyoke, the school committee voted 7-3 in support of a comprehensive sex education curriculum in the Holyoke Public Schools. The Curriculum Subcommittee intensely debated the topic for over one hour before voting unanimously to approve the recommended science based comprehensive sex education curriculums (Quidate and FLASH). These curriculums were selected through a grant received last year from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Immediately following this vote, the full school committee convened. There was a speak out prior to the vote for the public to voice their opinions regarding implementation of the curriculum. One school committee member noted that there was an unprecedented number of the public attending the meeting, something that has not been seen before at any school committee meeting. 

The YEAH Network would like to thank all community members and leaders who have supported the advocacy efforts - including collecting over 400 letters of support - that has led to this unprecedented vote for comprehensive sex education in Holyoke Public Schools. This was truly a community effort that has involved community based organizations, policy makers, health professionals, the public health leaders, education advocates and most importantly parents and teens who believe youth should have the education they need to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. 

Although this has been a vital first step in the battle to reduce adverse reproductive health outcomes of youth, the YEAH Network will continue to work on behalf of teens in Holyoke to ensure responsible implementation of the curriculum and to include an evaluation component to this new policy. Following the vote on the curriculums, the school committee voted to hold a forum before the end of this school year to explain the new curriculums to parents. While the forum has not yet been scheduled, this will be another time that we will ask for your support . It will be vital for those who believe in the importance of comprehensive sex education in the schools to come, speak out and help shape how implementation of the curriculum will occur. We will be sure to be in touch regarding that event. 

Thank you again for all that you do! 

Rebublican News Article: Holyoke School Committee Adopts Additional Sex Ed Program 

Massachusetts Birth Report 2008

2008 Massachusetts Birth Data: YEAH! Network Response

The Massachusetts 2008 Birth Data, released last week, highlighted the continued disparity in the teen birth rates in many western Massachusetts communities. The information in the report underscores the continued need for comprehensive and sustained efforts to improve reproductive health outcomes for youth. The YEAH! (Youth Empowerment Adolescent Health) Network, a community coalition in Hampden County, uses advocacy, research, and community education to influence policy and practice in adolescent sexual health. Our response to the 2008 teen birth data will be ongoing: we view this year’s annual report from the Department of Public Health as an opportunity to go beneath the surface of the numbers and to explore several of the unanswered questions raised by the data.

The rates of both Springfield and Holyoke remain in stark contrast to the Massachusetts teen birth rate of 20.1 per 1,000. In 2008, for the fourth year in a row, Holyoke experienced the highest teen birth rate in the state: 115.3 births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 19. This represents a 21% increase from the city’s 2007 rate of 95.4 per 1,000. The YEAH! Network is developing research questions that will link these statistics to information about poverty and other demographic information, which will inform ongoing policy reform and other community intervention strategies.  While we are encouraged by the 27% drop in Springfield’s teen birth rate for 2008 (61.4 per 1,000, compared with 84.3 in 2007), it is preemptive to suggest that this change can be attributed solely to existing programs in the city. The city of Springfield is in the early stages of making positive changes to address the teen birth rate disparity in the city: a city-wide task force addressing adolescent sexual health has been looking closely at these issues for a little over one year. In August 2009, the Springfield school committee approved a comprehensive sex education curriculum that began implementation this past winter. While these encouraging steps should certainly be applauded, there is still substantial work to do.

The Department of Public Health’s report is useful for providing a snapshot of where we have been, but it is not the whole picture. The take-away message is this: We are on the right track, and it is vital that we do not become complacent at this crucial tipping point. In Springfield, the school-based policies have only been implemented a few months ago. In Holyoke, the task forces are still forming. A coordinated and continuous effort, with full community participation, is the only way to achieve the conditions that foster adolescent sexual health: access to information and education; access to reproductive health services; and access to opportunity for the future. The YEAH! Network research team is excited to investigate the intersecting dynamics behind the data in the birth report, and to work with community-based organizations, local governments and schools, and community residents to create an informed, empowered, and engaged response to this health disparity.

Advocacy Alert! Holyoke Residents call your School Committee Representative!

At the last meeting of the curriculum sub-committee, which addressed the need for a comprehensive science based sex education curriculum in Holyoke High School, school committee members expressed concern that comprehensive sex education was not something that voters wanted.  This is your chance to tell them different!

The next curriculum sub-committee meeting is this coming Monday, 5 April 2010 at Dean Technical High School (1045 Main Street, Holyoke, MA 01040).  The sub-committee meeting begins at 6pm.  We need your support to get the school committee to approve adoption of a comprehensive science based sexual health curriculum.

What you can do: 

• Today:  Call your school committee member! 

1. School committee members are elected by ward.  First determine which ward you live in.  Go to the Elections Division Website for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
2. On this website, you will enter your street number, street name, city and zip code. 
3. Click on "Find my election information"
4. On the next screen, in the gray box under the red words "Where do I vote," your ward number will be listed. 
5. Now that you know your ward number, you can find your school committee member's name and phone number by visiting the Holyoke Public Schools Website  
6. School committee members that are undecided on the issue of comprehensive science based sex education include: Yvonne Garcia (ward 2), * and William Collamore (ward 6).  They NEED to hear your voice!  If you live in Ward 2, 5, or 6 we especially encourage you to call your school committee representative to express your views!
7. Please, ALL HOLYOKE RESIDENTS, call your school committee representative and tell them that they should vote to support comprehensive science based sex education in the Holyoke schools.
• Sample script:  Hello, I am a Holyoke Resident of Ward X.  I am calling to express my support for a comprehensive science based sex education curriculum in the Holyoke Schools.   Holyoke has the highest teen birth rate in Massachusetts and very high rates of sexually transmitted infections: something needs to be done to educate our children so that we can combat these issues.  The science based curriculum will give our children the tools they need to protect themselves, to live a healthy life, and to make smart decisions regarding sex.

• Monday, April 5th 2010: Come to the school committee meeting!

1. The curriculum sub-committee meeting starts at 6pm.  Come at 6pm! If the sub-committee votes to approve sex education, they will pass it on to the full school committee meeting, which begins at 7pm. 
2. Let the committee members know that you, as a voter, support comprehensive science based sex education  Speak out: for the health of Holyoke, for the economic prosperity of Holyoke, and for a brighter future for Holyoke's children! 
3. All are welcome - parents, teens, young adults: the voices of ALL Holyoke residents count!
    

We need YOUR help to ensure passage of the sex education curriculum.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We are happy to help you find your school committee representative, or to talk to you more about this issue.  

Thank you!  

*CORRECTION (April 9, 2010) We mistakenly included school committee member Davin Sheehan's name as undecided on the issue of implementing comprehensive science based sex ed.  Mr. Sheehan had decided to support CSE before the school committee meeting, indeed helped to educate other school committee members about the issue,  and was one of the members who helped to pass this effort.  Our apologies to Mr. Sheehan and to any reader's for this misinformation. 

WFCR: Holyoke Teens Want Sex Education (2010-03-24)

WFCR: Holyoke Teens Want Sex Education (2010-03-24)

On March 23, 2010, Karen Brown from WFCR aired a program discussing the issues of teen pregnancy and the lack of comprehensive sex education in Holyoke. Various teens, a school committee member, Holyoke Mayor Elaine Pluta and Dr. Sara Perez McAdoo are all interviewed. Please listen and let us know what you think!

Collecting Signatures

In anticipation of the school committee meeting on March 15, 2010, 3 members of the Holyoke Adolescent Advisory Board met at Holyoke Health Center to collect signatures from Holyoke residents in support of comprehensive science based sex education.

Despite a very slow day at the health center, the girls were very successful and proactive. They approached people to ask for their support, explaining who they were and why comprehensive sex ed is so important to them.  After only 1 hour, they managed to collect 27 letters - pretty much a letter from everyone who walked in the door!

We are very proud of Keishabell, Christabell and Krizia and thank them for their hard work and dedication!  

Holyoke Youth Rising!

~Nothing About Us, Without Us~  

Today the YEAH Network Adolescent Advisory Board (AAB) and Ambassadors from Girls Inc. met with Mayor Elaine Pluta in the City Council Chambers.  They discussed their concerns about teen sexual health, presented the most recent data and shared what they felt contributed most to the high rates of teen birth and sexually transmitted diseases in the community. 

Key Issues identified by the teens:

• The poor self image of some young girls in Holyoke due to the perception that Holyoke girls "just get pregnant."
• Incomplete or poorly taught sex education in the public schools
• The need for sex education at the middle school level in order to prevent unhealthy sexual  health behaviors
  

The teens made recommendations that included: 

• Better sex education 
• Involving teens in the process of implementing changes 
•  A “big one:" getting parents to talk to teens about sexual health issues 
• Increased access to work opportunities for teens in order to keep teens engaged in positive work 
• Working on these issues at a faster pace, especially since the high rates of teen birth and sexually transmitted infection has been a chronic problem in the community.

The teens specifically asked Mayor Pluta how they can help implement the recommendations of the Redevelopment Committee of the City Council that focus on reducing the high rates of teen birth and sexually transmitted infections in Holyoke.

It was amazing to see the leadership and confidence of these young women and men!  The meeting ended with a discussion about specific steps that the teens can take in the next few weeks to be part of Holyoke’s plan to improve the sexual health of teens. 

 

Next steps:
 
1. The YEAH Network Adolescent Advisory Board, under the direction of Teresa Vazquez, will be hosting a table at the Holyoke Health Center on Friday afternoon to collect signatures from Holyoke residents supporting comprehensive science based sexual health education.

2.  Members of the Adolescent Advisory Board will attend the School Committee meeting on Monday, March 15^th to support  the approval of the sex ed curriculum.

Girls Inc. Ambassadors with Mayor Pluta

 AAB members with Mayor Pluta

 

Strong work, teens!