SCIENCE EDUCATION WORKS: State Teen Birthrate Dropped to Lowest Level in 20 Years
Reproductive health planning projects like the California Personal Responsibility Education Program are also credited with the lower numbers.
“We do believe that our programs are behind these numbers,” said Karen Ramstrom, the chief of the program standards branch at the California Department of Public Health’s maternal child and adolescent health division.
Ramstrom said workers in the state’s various sexual health programs are provided with cultural training that has made a difference.
For instance, a manual created by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy encourages healthcare providers working with Latino teens to “adjust to their reality,” use bilingual moderators and train staff who understand Latino culture.
The CDC also has a diagram that shows healthcare providers what “a teen-friendly reproductive health visit” looks like.
More: State Teen Birthrate Dropped to Lowest Level in 20 Years