Texas Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy Inc

THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY IS A STATE-WIDE, NONPARTISAN, 501C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO REDUCING TEEN PREGNANCY THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION AND TRAINING. OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY TEXAS TEEN HAS ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO PREVENT UNINTENDED PREGNANCY.

COLLABORATION-THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN LEADS COLLABORATIVE, DATA-DRIVEN, CROSS-SECTOR INITIATIVES ACROSS THE STATE. EXAMPLES INCLUDE OUR PROJECTS ADDRESSING THE PREVALENCE OF PREGNANCY AND ADVERSE SEXUAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM; OUR WORK BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF HEALTH CLINICS TO BETTER SERVE ADOLESCENT PATIENTS; AND OUR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTERS IMPLEMENTING THE NEW SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION STANDARDS.

ADVOCACY - THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN ENGAGED HEAVILY IN THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ADVOCATING FOR POLICY CHANGE THAT WOULD EXPAND CONTRACEPTIVE ACCESS IN THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP) AND ALLOW TEEN PARENTS TO CONSENT TO CONTRACEPTION. IN A DIFFICULT SESSION, THESE POLICY PRIORITIES WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A BUDGET RIDER SUPPORTING CONTINUITY OF CARE INTO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AGING OUT OF CHILDREN'S MEDICAID OR CHIP. WE ALSO ENGAGED IN DEFENSIVE WORK TO COUNTERACT HARMFUL PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HINDER THE ABILITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE SEX EDUCATION. WE WERE ABLE TO BLOCK OR HEAVILY AMEND MOST NEGATIVE BILLS AROUND SEX EDUCATION, BUT WERE UNABLE TO KILL A LAST-MINUTE AMENDMENT TO A SCHOOL FINANCE BILL WHICH ADDED A REQUIREMENT FOR WRITTEN PARENTAL CONSENT IN ORDER FOR SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORTED PARTNERS IN ADVOCATING FOR FUNDING FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAMS, EXPANSION OF MEDICAID FOR POSTPARTUM WOMEN, AND OTHER HEALTH PRIORITIES. IN LOCAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS, THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN WORKED EXTENSIVELY TO SUPPORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN PREPARING TO IMPLEMENT THE NEWLY ADOPTED MINIMUM CURRICULUM STANDARDS FOR HEALTH EDUCATION, INCLUDING SEX EDUCATION. WE PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO UPDATE ICHAMPSS, A TOOL TO HELP DISTRICTS SELECT, IMPLEMENT, AND MAINTAIN SEX EDUCATION CURRICULUM, PROVIDING EXTENSIVE REVISIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE TOOL REFLECTED NEW STANDARDS AND STATUTE. WE ALSO DEVELOPED NUMEROUS TRAINING RESOURCES AND MATERIALS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

TRAINING EVENTS - THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN MANAGES MULTIPLE TRAINING EVENTS WHICH PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH-SERVING ADULTS, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, RESEARCHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, STUDENTS, AND OTHERS. BECAUSE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS ONGOING, THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN DECIDED TO HOST BOTH OUR ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM AND SOUTH TEXAS ADOLESCENT HEALTH SUMMIT VIRTUALLY. THE 10TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM WAS HOSTED ON SEPT. 27-29, AND HOSTED 182 PARTICIPANTS AND 51 SPEAKERS REPRESENTING A GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS COMING FROM ALL PARTS OF TEXAS. THE 4TH ANNUAL SOUTH TEXAS ADOLESCENT HEALTH SUMMIT WAS HELD ON JUNE 22-24, 2021 AND HOSTED 100 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING 17 SPEAKERS, FROM SOUTH TEXAS. LASTLY, AS THE TEXAS CAMPAIGN RESPONDED TO THE NEED FOR REMOTE LEARNING, WE STRENGTHENED OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING TO INCLUDE AN ANNUAL CALENDAR OF TOPICAL WEBINARS, MAKING IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IMPORTANT ADOLESCENT HEALTH ISSUES WHILE ALSO EARNING CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. IN 2021, WE OFFERED 21 WEBINARS TO 644 REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS.