2008 Woodie Awards
Birth control available for middle school students
By Selina Affram
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: News
Originally published: 10/25/07 at 5:29 PM CSTLast update: 10/25/07 at 5:28 PM CST
- Page 1 of 1
CNN reported that a Portland school board decided to make prescription birth control available to students in middle school.
The students must obtain permission from a parent or guardian before receiving treatment, but services that are provided at the school clinic are kept confidential in accordance with state law.
The proposal by the Portland Division of Public Health requires health care services like immunizations, physical checkups, birth control and counseling for sexually transmitted diseases.
A main concern of the new proposal was that it would increase sexual activity among the students, but Pat Patterson, the medical director of School-Based Health Centers, said, "It has been shown over and over again that this does not increase sexual activity."
The purpose of this provision was to provide guidance to keep children safe and to provide information for sexually active students.
The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care reported that 30 percent of the 1,700 school-based health centers in Maine provide contraceptives to students. In San Antonio, Janet Realini, medical doctor of Project: WORTH Abstinence Plus program agrees with the decision made by the Portland school board.
She said although middle school seems too young, about one in five adolescents become sexually active before age 15.
She said that research has shown that birth control does not increase sexual activity.
Dr. Pamela Hill, psychology professor at this college, agrees completely with Realini's views.
Locally, youth can seek help with sexual decisions at several area agencies.
In San Antonio, the Project WORTH program is composed of seven city departments that work together to help youth make healthy choices and postpone pregnancy.
Project WORTH promotes an abstinence and abstinence plus program for youth.
They have partnered with local media such as radio station 98.5 The Beat, television stations KABB-FOX 29 and KMYS 35 to promote and provide city clinics for youth seeking information about sexual activity.
At the clinics, they can receive counseling and literature about receiving medical treatment and making healthy decisions about sex.
There are Metro Health Clinics in the city that serve young people and offer immunizations, maternity care, pregnancy tests and more.
Call 207-8802 for more information about a clinic.
Call Project WORTH at 207-8850 for more information about the organization.
The students must obtain permission from a parent or guardian before receiving treatment, but services that are provided at the school clinic are kept confidential in accordance with state law.
The proposal by the Portland Division of Public Health requires health care services like immunizations, physical checkups, birth control and counseling for sexually transmitted diseases.
A main concern of the new proposal was that it would increase sexual activity among the students, but Pat Patterson, the medical director of School-Based Health Centers, said, "It has been shown over and over again that this does not increase sexual activity."
The purpose of this provision was to provide guidance to keep children safe and to provide information for sexually active students.
The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care reported that 30 percent of the 1,700 school-based health centers in Maine provide contraceptives to students. In San Antonio, Janet Realini, medical doctor of Project: WORTH Abstinence Plus program agrees with the decision made by the Portland school board.
She said although middle school seems too young, about one in five adolescents become sexually active before age 15.
She said that research has shown that birth control does not increase sexual activity.
Dr. Pamela Hill, psychology professor at this college, agrees completely with Realini's views.
Locally, youth can seek help with sexual decisions at several area agencies.
In San Antonio, the Project WORTH program is composed of seven city departments that work together to help youth make healthy choices and postpone pregnancy.
Project WORTH promotes an abstinence and abstinence plus program for youth.
They have partnered with local media such as radio station 98.5 The Beat, television stations KABB-FOX 29 and KMYS 35 to promote and provide city clinics for youth seeking information about sexual activity.
At the clinics, they can receive counseling and literature about receiving medical treatment and making healthy decisions about sex.
There are Metro Health Clinics in the city that serve young people and offer immunizations, maternity care, pregnancy tests and more.
Call 207-8802 for more information about a clinic.
Call Project WORTH at 207-8850 for more information about the organization.
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