Healthy Teens Act

ABC's of STD's

Tallahassee, FL (WTXL)--Next month is STD awareness month and it's needed because STD rates are on the rise among teens.  According to the center for disease control each year, there are approximately 19 million new STD infections, and almost half of them are among youth aged 15 to 24. ABC 27's Lauren Dorsett takes a look at the prevalence of STD's among teens in our area, and the challenges in changing risky behavior.

Healthy Teens Act Would Save Lives

To state Sen. Nancy Detert:

As chair of the Pre K-12 Education Committee, we understand that you have the sole discretion on whether to hold hearings on the Healthy Teens Act.

The Manatee County League of Women Voters believes passage of the Healthy Teens Act is crucial to the future of Florida.

Proposed bill would bring contraceptive education to schools

Florida knows more about the pitfalls of unsafe sex than most any other state.

The state ranked third from the top in the number of teen births per state in 2006. It had more abortions than 42 of 44 other states reporting data in 2005, and it had more cumulative AIDS cases than 47 other states in 2007.

Letter to the Editor: Keep Teens Healthy

Miami Herald, January 8, 2009

Re: the Jan. 7 story U.S. teen birth rates end 14-year drop:

Amid the news that teen birth rates rose after a 14-year decline, Planned Parenthood again calls on elected officials to support the Healthy Teens Act. This common-sense legislation will help ensure that teens receive the information they need to protect themselves against unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.

Volusia Schools To Consider Expanding Sex Education

DAYTONA BEACH -- Sex education could be expanded in Volusia County high schools to include birth control information if Superintendent Margaret Smith and the School Board go along with a recommendation from a diverse advisory committee that studied the issue.

"They were really concerned (high school students) should have contraception information. That was the focus of the group," said Emily Cortes-Torrado, chairwoman of Volusia's School Health Advisory Committee.