Our Key Values
Access to Confidential Health Care Services
We support young people's right to consent to and access confidential health care services related to emergency medical care, contraception, pregnancy related care, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, mental health services, and treatment for drugs and alcohol use.
We believe the confidentiality that is assured by a minor's right to consent is a basic principle essential in promoting the health of adolescents.
We believe that health care professionals help adolescents reconnect and communicate better about their health needs with parents and other caring adults.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education
We support effective comprehensive sexuality education programs because research shows that they can help delay the onset of sexual intercourse and reduce the negative outcomes among those who are sexually involved.
We believe young people have the right to complete, medically accurate, and developmentally appropriate sexuality information and resources to help them make healthy choices.
We respect young people's capacity to make responsible decisions about their sexuality.
We believe that inclusion of discussions regarding when and why to wait to have sex is a key component of responsible sex education and that young people deserve support and respect for their decision.
We recognize that comprehensive sexuality education respects the diverse backgrounds of all individuals.
We believe that comprehensive sexuality education can result in positive outcomes for the whole community when parents, caregivers, youth, and trained sexuality educators share the responsibility.
We believe that parents, caregivers and other trusted adults are the most important role models for their children regarding sexuality and that professionals can work in partnership to assist them to be their children's primary sexuality educators.
