HR 5033 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out programs to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

April 15, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD (for herself and Mr. DAVIS of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out programs to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Communities of Color Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2010’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

It is the purpose of this Act to develop and carry out research and demonstration projects on new and existing program interventions to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies, build healthy relationships, and improve overall health and well-being.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Teenage pregnancy is one of the most critical issues facing the Nation today. The United States has the highest teenage pregnancy rate of any developed nation, with nearly 750,000 teenage girls (ages 15 to 19) becoming pregnant each year, and 80 percent of those pregnancies unplanned.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Nationally, teenage pregnancy has significant fiscal implications, costing taxpayers at least $9,100,000,000 annually.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Communities of color disproportionately suffer from teenage pregnancy. Fifty-two percent of Latinas and 50 percent of African-American girls will become pregnant at least once before they turn 20. In comparison, only 19 percent of non-Hispanic white teenage girls under the age of 20 become pregnant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Between 2005 and 2006, the teen pregnancy rate increased for every racial/ethnic subgroup. Hispanic teens continue to have the highest rates of both teen pregnancy and birth.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) Research shows that starting a family too soon may have significant social, educational, and financial impacts on the lives of young people. Less than half of teenage mothers finish high school and less than 2 percent go on to finish college, making it difficult to find and maintain a job.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) New research shows that teenage dating violence and abuse are serious public health problems and are associated with higher levels of teenage pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy. Studies show that 1 in 5 teenage girls in the United States report having experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Promoting and building healthy relationships are fundamental to prevent teenage pregnancies and unplanned pregnancies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO REDUCE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.

(a) In General- The Secretary shall award competitive grants to eligible entities for new and existing program interventions to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies and develop healthy relationships.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Priority- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants proposing to carry out projects in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Project Settings- Funds received under this section may be used to provide information and skills as described in subsection (a)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) through classroom-based settings, such as school health education or family and consumer science education; after-school programs; community-based programs; workforce development programs; and health clinics; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in collaboration with systems that serve large numbers of at-risk youth such as juvenile justice or foster care systems.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Project Requirements- As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, an entity shall agree that information and skills provided through the grant will be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) age-appropriate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) evidence-based;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) provided in accordance with section 7(b); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) culturally sensitive and relevant to the target populationCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Evaluation- Of the total amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall use 10 percent of such amount to carry out a rigorous, independent evaluation to determine the extent and the effectiveness of activities funded through this section in changing attitudes and behavior.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Definition- In this section, the term ‘eligible entity’ means a State, local, or tribal agency; a school or postsecondary institution; an after-school program; a nonprofit coalition; a community or faith-based organization; or any other entity determined appropriate by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO REDUCE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.

(a) In General- The Secretary shall award competitive grants to carry out multimedia campaigns to provide public education and increase public awareness regarding teenage pregnancy and related social and emotional issues.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Priority- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants proposing to carry out campaigns developed for racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Information To Be Provided- As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, an entity shall agree to use the grant to carry out multimedia campaigns described in subsection (a) that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) at a minimum, shall provide information on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the prevention of teenage pregnancy; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) healthy relationship development; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) may provide information on the prevention of dating violence.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. RESEARCH ON REDUCING TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.

(a) Purpose- The purpose of this section is to provide for the conduct, support, or coordination of research among culturally and linguistically specific communities, including projects that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) examine factors that contribute to disproportionately high rates of teenage and unintended pregnancy or sexual abuse in such communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) explore research-based strategies for addressing high rates of teenage pregnancy and unintended pregnancies through programs that emphasize healthy relationships; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) study the role which violence and abuse play in the decisions made by young people about relationships, sex, pregnancy, and childbearing.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) In General- The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make grants to public and private entities to conduct, support, or coordinate research that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) investigates the incidence and prevalence of teenage pregnancy and births in racial and ethnic minority or immigrant communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) examines--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the relationships between teenage pregnancy or dating abuse and one or more of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) the mental and physical health and well-being of teenagers in such communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) the scholastic achievement of such teenagers, including with respect to school completion;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) family communication; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) exposure to violence, sexual abuse, pregnancy coercion, and birth control sabotage;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) effective interventions to reduce pregnancy coercion and birth control sabotage;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the variance in the rates of teenage pregnancy by--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) location (such as inner cities, inner suburbs, outer suburbs, and rural areas);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) population subgroup (such as Hispanic, Asian, African-American, Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Alaskan Native);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) level of acculturation; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) socioeconomic status (such as income, educational attainment of the parents of the teenager, and school attendance of the teenager);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) the importance of the physical and social environment as a factor in placing communities at risk of increased rates of teenage pregnancy or dating violence abuse; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) the importance of aspirations and motivations as factors affecting young people’s risk of teenage pregnancy or dating abuse;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) improves data collection on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) sexual and reproductive health, including teenage pregnancies and births, among all minority communities and subpopulations, with an emphasis on American Indian and Alaska Native youth;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) sexual behavior, sexual or reproductive coercion, birth control sabotage, and teenage contraceptive use patterns at the State level; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) teenage pregnancies among youth in and aging out of foster care or juvenile justice systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) examines underlying factors that lead to teenage pregnancy among youth in foster care or juvenile justice systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) identifies strategies to address the disproportionate rates of teenage and unintended pregnancies and dating violence in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) examines the effectiveness of media campaigns addressing healthy relationship development, dating violence prevention, and teenage pregnancy; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) examines how effective interventions can be replicated or adapted in other settings to serve racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Priority- In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall give priority to research that incorporates--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) interdisciplinary approaches; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a strong emphasis on community-based participatory research.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

(a) Applications- To seek a grant under this Act, an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, in such manner, and containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Additional Requirements- A grant may be made under this Act only if the applicant involved agrees that information, activities, and services under the grant--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) will be evidence-based;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) will be factually and medically accurate and complete; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) if directed to a particular population group, will be provided in an appropriate language and cultural context.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Training and Technical Assistance-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Of the total amount made available to carry out this Act for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall use 10 percent to provide, directly or through a competitive grant process, training and technical assistance to the grant recipients under this section, including by disseminating research and information regarding effective and promising practices, providing consultation and resources on a broad array of teenage and unintended pregnancy and violence prevention strategies, and developing resources and materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) COLLABORATION- In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall collaborate with a variety of entities that have expertise in the prevention of teenage pregnancy, healthy relationship development, and violence prevention.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) MEDICALLY ACCURATE AND COMPLETE- The term ‘medically accurate and complete’ means verified or supported by the weight of research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific methods and--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) published in peer-reviewed journals, where applicable; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) comprising information that leading professional organizations and agencies with relevant expertise in the field recognize as accurate, objective, and complete.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) RACIAL OR ETHNIC MINORITY OR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES- The term ‘racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities’ means communities with a substantial number of residents who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups or who are immigrants.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) YOUTH- The term ‘youth’ means individuals who are 11 to 19 years of age.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to carry out section 4, $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to carry out section 5, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to carry out section 6, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink