Promoting Risk Elimination Programs
for youth ages 10-17 & parents or guardians
Partially funded through a grant from the Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment, Bureau of Children, Youth & Families, Abstinence
"PREP" is a series of four sessions. What will I learn?
Enrollees ages 10-17 in the PREP training experience a novel way of learning about important life changing issues. No matter what situation the young person has lived through in the past, PREP is an opportunity to understand the WHY and HOW of using their powers to think and choose. Self-respect and awareness of each person's self-worth leads to future healthy decision-making in matters like:
* eliminating risk of teenage pregnancy
* eliminating risk of sexually transmitted diseases/infections
* eliminating risk of HIV/AIDS
* eliminating risk of break-ups of permanent, committed relationships
* eliminating risk of youthful emotional hurt
Parents or guardians enrolled in the PREP training appreciate the adult role which is vital and necessary for the young person to navigate safely through adolescence. Though adults may have made decisions in the past that have been unhealthy, they too can come to realize that their teens don't have to make unhealthy choices.
Character builds healthy families.
What's the purpose of PREP?
The purpose of PREP (Promoting Risk Elimination Programs) is to eliminate the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases among the groups of 10-17 year olds who participate in the four educational sessions as they progress through adolescence.
PREP addresses the unmet needs KDHE has identified as follows:
a. Not enough projects touting the abstinence only education messages exist in the state.
b. Educational services that are not reaching younger adolescents below the age of 14.
c. Need for more abstinence only prevention programs that teach self-esteem, refusal skills, and responsible decision making with abstinence messages.
d. Need for more abstinence only prevention programs that are based on adolescent developmental assets approach.
e. Need for data regarding adolescent attitudes towards sexual activity.
f. Need for increase participation of the community and especially public schools.
g. Need for culturally sensitive educational materials.
Local organizations in Sedgwick County and surrounding areas
partner with Abstinence Education Consultants, Inc. to address the above named unmet needs.
Session I: "Love & Life"
The instructor introduces a classic movie to be viewed in 4 parts, then in discussions we study about developmental assets like self-control, honesty and courage. We'll explore the questions "Who am I?" and "How do we begin?" to appreciate the power to be a mother or a father and how we develop as whole persons. Playing "The CHOICE GAME," the group investigates ways the media influences decision making.
Session II: "Power to Think"
We view the 2nd part of the classic movie and investigate character values we see on-screen. Study of H. A. L. T. (hungry, angry, lonely and tired) illustrates the best times to make good decisions and helps to answer the question, "What am I thinking?" Playing another round of "The CHOICE GAME" on communication refusal skills helps us to better understand our power to think.
Session III: "Power to Choose"
We'll see the 3rd part of the classic movie and play another section of "The CHOICE GAME" that relates to drugs, alcohol, tobacco and/or sexually transmitted diseases. Discussions and activities will answer the questions, "What am I doing?", "What hurts me?" and confirms the power we have to choose what is good & healthy.
Session IV: "Family"
The final part of the movie pulls together an answer to the question, "How do I fit?" Playing the last segments of The CHOICE GAME on "Teen Pregnancy" and "Myself, My Family" leads us to answer the question, "What now?" and to set life goals
What are my options when enrolling in the PREP series?
NO FEES (Donations accepted)
1. PREP enrollment needs to be completed prior to the beginning of Session I. Inquire about special
needs.
2. Anonymous surveys requested to be given by the Abstinence Education Program of the Bureau of
Children, Youth & Families, Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE will be filled out by youth enrolled in the program. The survey is given prior to Session I and after Session IV.
What do I get for attending the 4 sessions?
* Certificate of Achievement suitable for framing
* Commitment card
*A fun time while learning!
*A healthy future!
Why teach abstinence?
* 2001 KDHE report of "Out-of-wedlock births" in Sedgwick County indicate that 34% (14 out of 41) of all live births in Kansas to 10-14 year old girls occurred in Sedgwick County.
* This same report indicates that in Kansas 6 boys ages 10-14 fathered children (one of those boys fathered a child of a girl age 10-14); and, other older males fathered children of 10-14 year old girls.
* Among ages 10-14, 46% of the 79 pregnancies reported in Kansas were surgically or naturally aborted.
* Pregnancy rates in 2001 among 10-17 year olds in Sedgwick County were 14.4 per 1,000 girls, well above the State rate of 11.9 pregnancies for every 1,000 girls.
* KDHE Bureau of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention: Sexually Transmitted Disease Program reported that from January through December 2002 among 10-14 year olds, 84 cases of Chlamydia occurred. Statewide, 83% of all Chlamydia cases were female and 25% of all reported cases occurred in Sedgwick County. Chlamydia incidence rises markedly in the 15-19 age group.
*Statewide in 2002, 26 cases of Gonorrhea were reported for ages 10-14. Sedgwick County accounted for 32% of all Gonorrhea cases. The incidence rises in the 15-19 age group. There are over 20 significant sexually transmitted diseases and teens are most vulnerable to get infected.
The decision to remain abstinent from any kind of sexual activity until married allows the young person to be free from worry about disease and getting pregnant before being married. Self-control needed to stay sexually abstinent also strengthens the young person to avoid alcohol, drug and tobacco use. |
