MEDIA RELEASE

From the Office of the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Gale R. Burstein

Date May 4, 2016

CONTACT: Mary C. St. Mary/Mary.StMary@Erie.Gov

Phone: 716.858.4941/ Mobile: 716.253.3925

National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Nationwide Effort to Educate Teens that “Sex has Consequences”

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Thousands of teens nationwide are expected to participate today in the 15th annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The purpose of today’s events is to focus the attention of teens on the importance of avoiding pregnancy and parenting at a too-early age through an interactive online quiz and game.

On the observance of the National Day and throughout the month of May (National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month), teens can visit StayTeen.org to participate in the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy’s National Day Quiz.  This Quiz delivers vital teen pregnancy prevention messages, and challenges teens to think carefully about what they might do “in the moment.”  The message of the Quiz is clear and straightforward: Sex has consequences.

The Erie County Department of Health (“ECDOH”) is excited to partner with other local organizations on the Buffalo Collaborative Community Initiative to Reduce Teen Pregnancy (“BCC”).   The BCC is a project that aims to reduce teen pregnancy in Buffalo by 30% over five years among females ages 15 to 19.

A grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health (“OAH”) will provide the funding to focus on improving the lives and opportunities for adolescents by facilitating and resourcing a community-driven response to reduce teen pregnancy in nine selected zip codes in Erie County with high teen pregnancy rates.

While much work has been done locally to address this issue in the past, teen pregnancy disproportionately affects the 9 zip codes identified by the BCC due to high rates of poverty and the health disparities linked with lower income levels. These areas have a teen birth rate of 61.3 births per 1,000 females per year.

“We are fortunate to have so many community-based organizations and clinics working diligently for years to reduce teen pregnancy rates in Erie County. However, much more work needs to be done,” stated Dr. Gale Burstein, Commissioner, Erie County Department of Health.  “Thanks to this initiative, the BCC will be able to reach up to 15,000 teens annually to ensure they have the knowledge, information and skills necessary to make healthy decisions about relationships and sex, allowing them to stay engaged in school.”

To aid in the effort to reduce teen pregnancies, in 2015 ECDOH reopened its Family Planning Center (608 William Street, Buffalo) which provides teens with confidential, non-judgmental and comprehensive reproductive services in a non-threatening environment.  The Family Planning Center offers teen-friendly services with walk-in appointments.  The Center is open Monday and Friday from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM and Wednesday from 9:00 AM —5pm. The Family Planning Center can be reached at (716) 858-2779.

Additional information on the ECDOH Family Planning Center can be found at: www.bit.ly/famplanning. Family planning clinic locations can be found at Bedsider at www.bedsider.org/where_to_get_it. For more information on National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month and additional information, visit the websites listed below.

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For More Information:

Erie County Department of Health Family Planning Center

American Academy of Pediatrics HealthyChildren.org

Bedsider

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

New York State Department of Health  

The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Quiz

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy