Sexuality Education for Life - Minnesota Coalition
December 2006 E-Newsletter
Sexuality Education for Life - Minnesota is a coalition of educational, religious, health, social service and advocacy organizations, as well as concerned individuals that promotes lifelong healthy sexuality by advocating for policies on comprehensive sexuality education and access to confidential health care services.
2007 Legislative Session
The 2007 legislative session will begin January 3, 2007. The November elections have brought many changes to the Minnesota legislature, including 35 newly elected members in the house and 18 newly elected members in the senate. As a coalition we look forward to working with both new and senior legislators towards passing a Comprehensive Sexuality Education bill.
Constituent voices are an important source of information for legislators. They will need to hear from you – as advocates and experts on the issue of adolescent sexual health – as they consider our bill and other policy decisions that impact minors’ access to confidential health care.
3 Steps you can take to support Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Minors’ Consent:
§ Attend the January 24th SEFL Member Meeting.
§ Know your legislative district. Use the district finder to find your representatives.
§ Watch for action alerts and issue updates as the session gets under way.
Welcome New Coalition Members
Welcome to the newest coalition members, University Pro-Choice Coalition (UPCC). UPCC became organizational members after hosting a panel discussion on Comprehensive Sexuality Education at the University of Minnesota in November.
Upcoming January 2007 SEFL Events – RSVP Today!
SEFL Member Meeting – Advocacy Training Workshop
January 24th, 2007
9:00am - 11:00am
Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415
This year's member meeting will be an advocacy skills building event. Learn how to use your adolescent health experience and expertise to create powerful and effective communications with legislators. To RSVP to this free event, please contact Lorie at MOAPPP at 651.644.1447 x12 or lorie@moappp.org by January 15, 2006.
Save the Date for Future 2007 Events
SEFL Capitol Lab
February 7, 2007
9:00am - 12:00pm
State Capitol
Conducted by Jeannie Fox of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, the lab will familiarize SEFL members with the capitol and legislative process.
Youth Advisory Group Meeting
March 2, 2007
3:30 - 4:30pm
Help plan the 2007 SEFL Youth Lobby Day at the Capitol!
Youth who have previously attended a lobby day & newly interested youth are invited to have input into planning this year’s event. Youth and young adults interested in participating in this year’s Youth Advisory Group meeting should contact Lorie at MOAPPP at 651.644.1447 x12 or lorie@moappp.org.
SEFL Youth Lobby Day at the Capitol
March 28, 2007
Time To be determined
State Capitol
Youth and their parents will learn about the legislative process and issues surrounding comprehensive sexuality education and minors' consent. Please join us for this opportunity to learn about SEFL issues, hear from advocates and legislators, and if schedules permit to meet with the legislators from your district. For more information contact Kate at MAP at publicpolicy@mnaidsproject.org.
In the News
Why Teen Pregnancy Rates Have Declined
The December publication of the American Journal of Public Health includes an article that looks at data from the National Survey of Family Growth examining sexual behavior and contraceptive use among girls and women ages 15 to 19. The researchers found a 38% decline in teen pregnancy rates from 1995 through 2002. They attributed 86% of the decline to increased contraception use and 14% to reduced sexual activity. The study's findings call into question the federal government's focus on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, the researchers said. To view an abstract of the study, please go to www.kaisernetwork.org.
Most U.S. Adults Support Comprehensive Sex Education
A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reports that 82% of U.S. adults support comprehensive sex education, and about half oppose abstinence-only programs. The study suggests the federal government's financial commitment to abstinence-only sex education is out of touch not only with research but also with public opinion. For more information, read the report summary at www.kaisernetwork.org.
Changes in Formal Sex Education: 1995-2002
According to the article, "Changes in Formal Sex Education: 1995-2002" published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, the proportion of US teens who had received any formal instruction about birth control methods declined sharply between 1995 and 2002, while the proportion who had received only information about abstinence more than doubled to more than one in five. While a majority of Americans support a comprehensive approach to sex education that encourages young people to delay sexual activity but also provides medically accurate information about contraception, these findings suggest that schools have retreated from this approach. To ensure that public dollars are being put to good use, the authors call for the reversal of these policies and for evaluations of the impact of abstinence-only education on teens' knowledge, behavior and outcomes.
Most Government-Funded Abstinence-Until-Marriage Programs Not Reviewed for Scientific Accuracy
A recent Government Accountability Office report says most Health and Human Services funded abstinence-only-until-marriage education programs - which receive about $158 million in federal funding annually - are not reviewed for scientific accuracy before they are granted funding. For more information, see www.kaisernetwork.org.
Former Surgeons General Join to Fight STDs
The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that two former U.S. Surgeons General, Drs. Jocelyn Elders and David Satcher, will join sexuality researchers and teachers to discuss plans to end the country's focus on abstinence-only programs and reverse climbing STI rates.
Resources
New resources Examining minor consent laws are now available from Healthy Teen Network.
A Comprehensive Sexuality Education Advocacy Resource Guide was recently released at the 2006 Healthy Teen Network Conference.
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Sexuality Education for Life-Minnesota is a coalition of educational, religious, health, social service and advocacy organizations, as well as concerned individuals that promotes lifelong healthy sexuality by advocating for policies on comprehensive sexuality education and access to confidential health care services. Sexuality Education for Life-Minnesota is coordinated by Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting and Minnesota AIDS Project.
The SEFL Coalition is supported by the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation, and the Public Welfare Foundation.
For more information on the SEFL Coalition, go to Sex Ed for Life. Please forward this information on to others interested in supporting the health of Minnesota youth and encourage them to sign up at Sex Ed for Life.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, e-mail Lorie Alveshere, subject line: unsubscribe Sex Ed for Life.