Teen Pregnancy

Becoming a parent too early often brings with it a host of social, economic, and physical problems for the mother, the baby, and the family. Many factors contribute to the high teen birth rate in many of our communities, so solutions need to be comprehensive and multi-faceted. There are regional, statewide, and national resources available to those wanting to understand and address this issue.

Resources

The YEAH! (Youth Empowerment Adolescent Health) Network started in 2006 as a community coalition, working to motivate the leaders of communities in Hampden County to address the high teen birth rates in local cities. The Coalition uses advocacy, research, and community education to influence policy and practice in teen pregnancy and other adolescent sexual health disparities.

Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy advocates statewide and mobilizes communities to prevent teen pregnancy, to increase opportunities for youth and young families and to empower young people to make health decisions about relationships, sex, parenting and life.

Advocates for Youth is dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy seeks to improve the well-being of children, youth, and families by preventing unplanned and teenage pregnancy.

ETR Associates (Education, Training and Research) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities by providing leadership, educational resources, training, and research in health promotion with an emphasis on sexuality and health education.

Healthy Teen Network