Healthy Teens Act

Last year Florida received the 2nd highest Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage funding, totalling $10,700,147. And yet, Florida currently ranks 6th in the nation in teen pregnancy rates, and 2nd in the nation in HIV/AIDS rates.

A recent study from the University of Florida proved what we already know - Florida currently has no regulations regarding sex education and that young people receive too little information too late. Only a few weeks ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data showing that sex education programs do work to help discourage many teens from becoming sexually active before age 15. Instead, many Florida teens are being short-changed by ineffective abstinence-only programs.

YOU CAN HELP! Sign the petition telling our legislators that the time has come for statewide standards so all teens learn the facts about sex from trusted and responsible sources.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support the Healthy Teens Act

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Yes! I support medically-accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive sex education in the classrooms. Teens need and deserve responsible sex education that includes information about abstinence, AND about protection from diseases and pregnancy.

Please ensure that teens have the information necessary to make responsible decisions by agreeing to co-sponsor the Healthy Teens Act (SB 848, HB 449).

Signed by:

Campaign Launched:
January 04, 2008

Background Information

Did you know?

Florida has the 6th highest teen pregnancy rate with 48,440 teenage pregnancies annually.
Florida has the 2nd highest annual HIV infection rate with 4,960 new AIDS cases in 2005 and 100,809 cases overall.
In 2005, 47% of female high school students and 54% of male high school students in Florida reported ever having had sexual intercourse.
In 2005, 12% of female high school students and 21% of male high school students in Florida reported having had four or more lifetime sexual partners.
And in 2006, Florida had 121,791 reported cases of sexually transmitted infections other than HIV/AIDS.

Without comprehensive sex education in the classrooms, Florida's teens are at a greater risk for unintended pregnancies and contracting sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS.

Teens need and deserve responsible sex education that includes information about abstinence, AND about protection from diseases and pregnancy.

While we all hope that teens will wait to have sex, half of Florida teens have intercourse before they graduate high school. We need comprehensive sex education so even if a teen chooses not to wait they’ll still know how to be safe.