Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Polk County's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance, a program of the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties Inc. is pleased to report another reduction in Polk teen births. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance (TPPA) is an organized group of social service providers, educators, faith leaders, health care, business, parents & teens committed in creating an environment that supports parents and empowers youth to maximize their potential without limitations imposed by pregnancy, childbearing and parenting.
For the past decade Polk County has ranked among the top counties in the state for teen births for ages under 18. In data released from the Florida Department of Health, there has been a 42 percent decrease (from 17.2 to 9.9) in births from 1999-2009 to girls under 18 years of age. In Florida the same rate has decreased 36 percent. Polk County is decreasing faster than the state rate. In 2009 the newly released data shows Polk County went from being ranked 211t to 22nd in the state for teens under 18 years of age. This means that in 2009, there were approximately 6 births a week to girls under the age of 18 overall. For girls ages 10-14 the birth rate went from 1.6 to .6 showing a 63 percent decrease from 1999 to 2009. There were 12 births in 2009 to girls ages 10-14, which is on average 1 birth a month.
The Healthy Start Coalition thanks the many funders, Alliance Members, youth and volunteers who assist their efforts in sponsoring teen summits, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, Youth Leadership Team, Faith Leaders events, Prevention training, advertising campaigns including commercials, billboards, movie theater ads, press releases and interviews along with the many community awareness and education programs provided. Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance has over 100 partners who are involved and support teens in Polk County.
Teen Pregnancy is a COMMUNITY ISSUE and we must all get involved. For more information please call 863-297-3043.
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