How we are Addressing the Problem

The Utah Department of Health received two federal grants to address the issue of teen pregnancy:

  • Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE): Focuses on supporting teens’ decision to abstain from sexual activity through educational and youth development programs for 10-18 year olds.
  • Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP): Provides education and youth development programs for 14-19 year olds centered on abstinence, contraception, and adult preparation subjects, including:
    • Healthy relationships
    • Healthy life skills
    • Education and career success
    • Adolescent development
    • Financial literacy
    • Parent-child communication

Ten local health departments and community agencies have applied for and received funding. They work with schools and other community partners to provide programs to youth in their local areas. See below for the program partners in your area.

wmhd            tooele_hd                  slcounty_hd                                                              tricounty_hd

Several groups of youth are at higher risk of teen pregnancy. Utah’s programs make a special effort to reach these groups.

  • Youth of Hispanic or American Indian origin. WHY? Hispanic teens are over 3 times more likely to give birth than their white peers; American Indian youth are about 2 times more likely to give birth compared to white teens.
  • Youth in foster care. WHY? Foster care youth are 2 times more likely to become pregnant by age 19 than their peers.
  • Youth in the juvenile justice system. WHY? Similarly to their foster care peers, youth in the juvenile justice system are more likely to be sexually active and to become pregnant.
  • Teen mothers. WHY? About 17% of teen mothers in Utah become pregnant a second time within two years of giving birth to their first child.
  • Teens in areas with birth rates above the state average. WHY? Teen birth rates are about 1/3rd higher in rural areas compared to urban areas.
  • LGBTQ youth. WHY? Lesbian and bisexual teens have 2 times the risk of unintended pregnancy compared to their heterosexual peers.

teenpreg_howyoucanhelp