Teen Pregnancy/STD/HIV Prevention

Director: Sharon Brister, BSW
Phone: 601.940.0353

Mississippi leads the nation in the rate of teen pregnancy and infant mortality. Teen pregnancy has been linked to a high rate of premature low weight babies. In addition, children of teen mothers are more likely to drop out of school, engage in crime, and are more likely to be poor in life. In US, there a million teen pregnancies per year, which means that every thirty seconds, a teenager becomes pregnant. Since 1996, COHA has provided free abstinence education for more than 1200 youth from across Mississippi .

Objectives: 

• To reduce rate of pregnancy among teenage girls in underserved communities.
• Organize a “teen pregnancy prevention (abstinence) committee at local churches.
• Provide education on STD/HIV prevention

Action Plan: 

• Plan for participation of local and rural churches, and community organizations
• Utilize an effective curriculum that will cover all the basic components outlined as effective interventions in abstinence training and HIV/STD prevention
• Provide continuous monthly follow-up with the groups: completing the training sessions
• Continue to identify appropriate alternative training activities that can be motivate the youth
• Establish standard training for the members of the committee

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