G-CAPP Policy and Advocacy News

Georgia Public Health Association Conference

G-CAPP hosted a pre-conference institute, "Teen Pregnancy Prevention: Using What Works", at the 2007 Georgia Public Health Association Conference this month in Savannah. In this training with Healthy Teen Network, adolescent service providers and public health professionals from across the state learned how to identify and implement effective adolescent pregnancy and STD/HIV prevention programs in their communities.

Also during the conference, the Georgia General Assembly’s House Study Committee on the State Health System held its first meeting. The Committee was created by House Resolution 350 during the last legislative session to examine challenges facing the state’s public health system. The members heard testimony from G-CAPP about how teen pregnancy prevention initiatives are a smart investment for our state. To download a fact sheet to share with your elected officials about how teen pregnancy impacts Georgia's economy, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Teen Pregnancy and Georgia’s Graduation Rate

The latest edition of VOX Teen Newspaper features an article about Georgia’s graduation rate, including a personal story about a teen who dropped out of high school after getting pregnant. Click here for the full article.

Our state has the 4th highest percentage of high school dropouts in the country, and pregnant and parenting students face unique challenges to completing their high school education. Nationally, 70% of young mothers drop out of high school, making early motherhood the number one reason for dropping out among female students. Also, in Georgia, nearly 30% of teen pregnancies are repeat pregnancies. Having multiple children compounds the challenges a teen faces in finishing school.

In addition, research demonstrates that teen fathers complete about one less semester of school than men who delay fatherhood until at least age 21, and the missed semester is often the crucial one that determines whether or not they earn a high school diploma.

Tax Reform: A Reality Check

This fall, the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) is hosting a series of meetings throughout Georgia to educate the public about proposals being discussed by state legislators that would make major changes to the state’s tax system. The tour is a collaboration of GBPI, AARP Georgia, Georgia Association of Educators, Georgia School Board Association, Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Coalition United for a Responsible Budget. The meetings are free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more details and a schedule of the meetings, visit www.gbpi.org.

G-CAPP Fast Fact

According to a recent study from the CDC, the suicide rate among preteen and young teen girls spiked 76 percent from 2003 to 2004, suggesting a reversal in recent downward trends. Suicide rates among older teen girls, ages 15-19, increased 32 percent. For more information, click here.