G-CAPP Takes a Local Stand for National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

ATLANTA – May, 2, 2008 – Hundreds of thousands of teens nationwide are expected to participate in the 7th annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on May 7, 2008 and G-CAPP (Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention) will do its part to ensure Georgian youth become a part of the movement. 

Throughout May’s National Teen Pregnancy Month, G-CAPP will mobilize communities to help young people develop responsible, positive behaviors and attitudes regarding sexuality.  Then on May 7, 2008, Georgia teens will be directed to www.stayteen.org where they will join nearly 800,000 teens nationwide in taking a quiz that tests their knowledge of sex and its consequences.

For G-CAPP, the 2008 campaign is especially important, because while teen birth rate has declined by 30% in Georgia over the past decade, there was a 3% increase in Georgia’s teen birth rate in 2006. With 22,500 teen pregnancies occurring each year, Georgia ranks 8th in highest teen birth rate in the nation and the 2nd highest among the states in the rate of repeat births to teens. 

G-CAPP relates the growing rates to the poor educational and economic challenges facing adolescents and families today.  With an understanding that adolescent pregnancy prevention is a critical component to breaking the cycle of family poverty, G-CAPP focuses on programs that are designed to reach abstinent, sexually-active, pregnant and parenting teens.  Through Second Chance Homes, Plain Talk, Community-based Doula Project, and G-CAPP Carrera Model, G-CAPP teaches youth best practice approaches for meeting the needs of various situations.

Throughout the month of May G-CAPP will host a variety of programs including:

• Created by the youth of the Carrera Program, a series of video tips for teens to avoid early pregnancy will be prominently featured on the G-CAPP website.
  
• The young mothers of G-CAPP’s Second Chance Homes and Community-Based Doula programs will be educated to become an “Askable Parent,” which helps to break the cycle of teen pregnancy through appropriate communication from parent to child.
• A series of PSAs created especially for G-CAPP by the local affiliate of Univision will be broadcasted throughout the month of May.
• Town Hall meetings will be held in Albany and Dalton to bring together community leaders, concerned citizens, and youth to raise awareness and advocate for an effective community approach.
• Street Teams will be set up in Savannah to promote the "Choose Responsibility" teen pregnancy prevention media campaign.

In addition to efforts surrounding National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, G-CAPP has set a new reduction goal:  15 by 15.  Over the past decade Georgia has seen the pregnancy rate for 15 to 19 year old girls declined by 30% and hopes to continue its reduction by an additional 15% by 2015.  The 15 by 15 campaign becomes a call to action so all communities can mobilize in support of G-CAPP’s mission to eliminate adolescent pregnancy in Georgia.