Healthy Youth Act Introduced!

The Healthy Youth Act requires schools that teach sex education to do so in a responsible, comprehensive manner that includes information about abstinence and contraceptives to prevent teen pregnancies and STDs.

Urge your Senator and Representative to co-sponsor the Healthy Youth Act!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Co-Sponsor the Healthy Youth Act!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to co-sponsor the Healthy Youth Act (LRB 3380/2 and LRB 3489/1).

There is a public health crisis in Wisconsin. A 2008 report by the WI Department of Health Services found that 45% of high schoolers self-report that they are currently sexually active. Yet of those Wisconsin teens having sex, only 61% used a condom during their last sexual counter. The result of this risky sexual behavior is unintended pregnancies and STDs.

For the first time in 14 years, the teen birth rate in Wisconsin has risen. This year 11,000 Wisconsin teens will become pregnant. And STD rates are exploding among youth in our state. According to DHS, STD rates have increased by 50% among teens in the last 10 years. Additionally, 20% of all new HIV infections in Wisconsin are among youth ages 15-24 years.

We need to start taking Wisconsin youth and their health seriously. The Healthy Youth Act will ensure that sex education taught in Wisconsin's public schools is medically accurate and comprehensive, including information about abstinence and contraceptives to prevent teen pregnancies and STDs.

Please co-sponsor the Healthy Youth Act and help give our teens the information and skills they need to make healthy decisions--now and throughout their lives.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 22, 2009


Background Information

» Comprehensive and medically accurate sex education give teens the tools they need to stay healthy and make smart decisions now and in the future.

» Real sex education is age-appropriate, scientifically-based and comprehensive. It includes information about both abstinence and birth control as ways to prevent unintended pregnancy and STDs.

» 45% of high schoolers self-report that they are currently sexually active.  Yet only 61% of those teens used a condom during their last sexual counter.

» 11,000 Wisconsin teens will become pregnant this year.

» 20% of all new HIV infections in Wisconsin are among youth ages 15-24 years.


The Healthy Youth Act ensures that the most current standards of sex education are being taught in Wisconsin and that public schools are using programs proven to reduce teen pregnancy and STD rates by:

- Ensuring that sex education in Wisconsin public schools is medically accurate and age-appropriate, and includes information about both abstinence and contraception to prevent pregnancies and STDs;

- Requiring a school board choosing not to provide sex education to notify parents that their students will not receive any instruction in preventing unintended pregnancies and STDs;

- Directing the state to apply for any federal teen pregnancy prevention funds.


» Learn more: www.ppawi.org/sexed