Newsletter Fall 1998

Parents Can Prevent Teen Pregnancy

At the National Campaigns Spring press conference and public forum, Sarah Brown, Director of the National Campaign said, "At a time when the daily news makes parents feel increasingly out of control - fearful that they have lost the battle for their childrens hearts and minds to peers and popular culture - it is vital for parents to know that their children want to hear from them and that they can make a real difference."

Brent C. Miller, Ph.D., of Utah State University reviewed over two decades of research for the National Campaign. Some of the findings from Families Matter: A Research Synthesis of Family Influences on Adolescent Pregnancy include:

• Families, and particularly parents, are an important influence on whether their teenagers become pregnant or cause a pregnancy.
• Teens who are close to their parent are more likely to remain sexually abstinent, postpone intercourse, have fewer partners, and to use contraception.
• Strong parental attitudes and values disapproving of adolescent sexual intercourse and pregnancy, or about the dangers of unprotected intercourse, are related to lower adolescent pregnancy risk.
• Parental supervision and regulation is also related to lower adolescent pregnancy risk. Teens whose parents closely supervise them are more likely to be older when they first have sexual intercourse, to have fewer partners, and to use contraception. However, some studies indicate that very strict parental monitoring is associated with greater risk of teen pregnancy, suggesting that less intrusive supervision may be more effective.

Of course, all these things taken together - parent/child connectedness, parental supervision, and parents attitudes and values about teen sex -- have important interactive effects on reducing teen pregnancy risk. For instance, parent/child communication about sex is much more likely to reduce adolescent pregnancy risk when parents and children have close relationships and when parents disapprove of teen sex.

A nationally representative public opinion poll of teens and adults was conducted in April for the National Campaign. Here are some of the poll findings.

• Well over of teens and parents of teens agree that they are not comfortable discussing sex with each other.
• Almost 1/4 of parents say the biggest barrier to effective communication between parents and teens about sex is that parents are not comfortable talking to their kids about sex. Interestingly, only 17 % of teens feel that is the biggest barrier.
• Nearly 1/3 of parents of teens say that the biggest barrier to effective communication between parents and teens about sex is that most teens "think they know it all already."
• Teens say they want to hear from their parents about more than just "body parts". A clear plurality of teens say they want their parents to talk to them about a wide variety of issues - from contraception to dating, from sexually transmitted diseases to knowing how and when to say no to sex.

Also available from the National Campaign is their new parent resource, Ten Tips For Parents: To Help Their Children
Avoid Teen Pregnancy. Up to ten copies are available at no cost and bulk orders are available at reasonable prices.

To order any of these materials or for information about the work of the National Campaign contact:

The National Campaign to PreventTeen Pregnancy
2100 M Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20037
(202) 857-8655

New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition Board of Directors 1998-1999

Greetings from Your President!

I have had the privilege of serving as NMTPC President since a very capable Past President, John Stermer, surrendered his gavel to me at the March Annual Meeting. I started my association with NMTPC as the coordinator for the teen pregnancy prevention program in the Estancia Municipal Schools from 1990 until 1994. I attended my first Resource Committee meeting with Linda Barr as its lead, and began serving on that Committee because of the really nifty people I found there. Little did I know of the possibilities that lay ahead!

The following Spring, I attended the NMTPC Conference and something wonderful happened one day that would change me. I thought I was alone, but there I met a multitude who shared my focus, energy, drive and enthusiasm.

I twisted my way into the organization until they conceded and allowed me to serve on the Board of Directors in 1994. I was elected as Northern Vice President a year later, where I would sit under the tutelage of such towers as Mary Raje and John Stermer. I learned as much as I could in order to assume the Presidency of such a grand organization. I thank the membership for supplying me with the chosen Board of Directors that serve along with me. It is a grand group of professionals with many years of combined experience in the realm of teen pregnancy, prevention, and parenting services. They amply assist me in directing NMTPC. I am grateful to have such esteemed colleagues with which to associate and rely upon for wise counsel.

There are so many exciting things happening at NMTPC. Both our staff and our projects are growing under the careful direction of Laine Renfro Sedillo, our Executive Director. Daily there are new and innovative ideas that are generated at NMTPC, and we have risen to the challenge for the betterment of teens in New Mexico. This newsletter will give you lots of information about our exciting projects.

I look forward to meeting you all at our upcoming events!
 

Karen Hensley Ford

Congratulations to our 1998 Scholarship Winners!

Rita Galaviz, Cobre High School, Bayard, NM, Attending Western New Mexico University
Eliza Lucero, Albuquerque High School, Attending the University of New Mexico
Vanessa Maestas-Trujillo, Española Valley High School, Attending Northern New Mexico Community College
Monica McBride, Magdalena High School, University of New Mexico, Valencia Campus
Annette Saline, Aztec High School, Attending Dixie College

Each student received a $500 scholarship to help pay for tuition, books, and/or child care to attend the post secondary institution of their choice. Scholarships are awarded once every year in two categories:  prevention of teen pregnancy and to parenting students.

If you would like to make a donation to the NMTPC Scholarship Fund, please send a check to the
NMTPC Scholarship Fund,
PO Box 35997
Albuquerque, NM 87176.

Thank you!

Girls in Sports Less Likely to Get Pregnant

Teenage girls involved in sports are less likely to engage in sex or become pregnant than those who dont, according to Sport and Teen Pregnancy, a study released in May by the Womens Sports Foundation. "Girls may be using the self-reliance and social status gained through athletic participation to resist social pressures to exchange sex for approval or popularity," concluded the reports authors.

The study, which was based on analyses of two nationally representative surveys of teens, found that girls in grades nine through 12 who played sports were:

• Less than half as likely to get pregnant as girls who didn't
• More likely to begin sex later in adolescence
• More likely to be virgins
• More likely to have fewer partners
• More likely to use contraceptives

• Increase athletic opportunities for girls
• Enlist coaches to help teach girls about sexual health

To obtain a copy of the report or for additional information, visit the Womens Sports Foundation website or call  1-800-227-3988.

Upcoming Events

NMTPC Annual Statewide Conference,
February 18-19, 1999
Albuquerque, NM  Marriott Hotel
Issues covered will be:  Teen Track, Male Track, General Provider Track

Teen Parent Conference: A Conference Designed By and For Pregnant and Parenting Teens,
March 18,1999, in Portales, NM on the ENMU campus.

Call (505) 244-9297 or email the NMTPC office for more information.

Male Involvement in Teen Pregnancy Prevention

On May 8, 1998 the Male Involvement Committee of NMTPC met to develop a strategic plan to guide their activities for the next year. As part of this planning process, Marty Berman, Ph.D. lead the participants through a process to analyze their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (a SWOT analysis). In addition, the group developed vision and mission statements, identified key goals and objectives, and created an action plan. All of this has been written into a document and is available. You may contact the NMTPC office for a copy or you can go directly to our website to access the document.

Dave Breault, NMTPC Board Member and Director of the Father and Family Center, is chairing this Committee of men who are interested in tackling teen pregnancy from a male perspective. This Committee has statewide representation but is still looking for more men to join with them to help reduce teen pregnancy, sexual violence, and other related issues. Call the NMTPC office if you are interested in being part of this network or call one of the committee members from your area.

Visit the new Male Involvement page at the NMTPC website. Click on Male Involvement under site contents.

Dave Breault, NMTPC Board, Male Involvement Committee Chair, Father & Family Center, Albuquerque
Marc Davidson, Central United Methodist Church, Albuquerque
Sam Duran, Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention center
Bruce Jacobs, NM Dept. of Health
Bill Kaul, Boys & Girls Club, Farmington
Alex Lopez, Planned Parenthood, Las Cruces
Tim Lopez, Youth Development, Inc., Albuquerque
Robert Pacheco NMTPC Board, Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center, Albuquerque
TC Shaffer, Maternal and Child Health Coordinator, Farmington
John Stermer, NMTPC Board, Hatch Public School, Las Cruces
Mario Vigil, Santa Fe Public Schools, Santa Fe

Nurturing Fatherhood

New research findings underscore the critical role of fathers in child development, according to a recently released report, "Nurturing Fatherhood: Improving Data and Research on Male Fertility, Family Formation and Fatherhood." The review found that marriage confers important health and economic benefits to parents and to the children that married couples raise. But in many instances marriage is delayed or foregone. This is particularly true in disadvantaged populations, where economic constraints and changing values and norms have increasingly distanced marriage as a viable option. Divorce and non-marital childbearing have reduced the amount of time that many fathers spend with their children over the course of childhood. Nearly half of nonresident fathers do not see their children during the course of a year.

The absence of biological fathers from the home has adverse consequences for childrens school achievement, labor force attachment, early childbearing, and risk-taking behaviors. Family structure makes a difference even when income is taken into account. Research that separates father involvement from mother involvement indicates that fathers have an independent effect on child well-being. For example, the fathers parenting style, level of closeness, monitoring, and other family processes affect the childs development.

Copies of "Nurturing Fatherhood" can be purchased for $19.95 from Child Trends, Inc., 4301 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008. The Executive Summary of the report is available at the Child Trends websiteand
the full text is available at http:// aspe.os.dhhs.gov/fathers/fhoodini/html

Editors Note: Just another argument for involving teen dads in our programs! Look for some exciting male news and training opportunities at our February 18th Conference!

Child Support Report,
Office of Child Support Enforcement,
August 1998

Bad News for Dads

On June 24th, President Clinton signed into law new legislation that he called "a gift to our children and the future." The law, Public Law 105-187, the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act of 1998, creates two new categories of felonies, with penalties of up to two years in prison.

Traveling across state or country lines with the intent to evade child support payments will now be considered a felony if the obligation has remained unpaid for a period longer than one year or is greater than $5,000.

When the obligation has remained unpaid for a period of longer than two years or is greater than $10,000, willful failure to pay child support to a child residing in another state will be considered a felony.
 

Child Support Report,
Office of Child Support Enforcement,
August 1998

New Mexico's Winning Teens

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, NBC, the Ad Council, and the Kaiser Family Foundation teamed up this spring for a unique effort called "The More You Know About Teen Pregnancy Prevention". This was an awareness and outreach campaign that included a public service advertising contest for mid and high school students. Approximately 1,000 entries were received from teens across the country. Although New Mexico did not win the grand prize, our teens did create some winning entries.

Congratulations to these New Mexico students!

8th Grade - Ads Targeted to Teenage Boys
1st Place: Megan Minter, Erin Lucero Zia Middle School, Las Cruces, NM,
Teacher: Mrs. Somppi 505-527-9475
2nd Place: Zack Hansen, Rick Singleton, Chris Wood, Zia Middle School, Las Cruces, NM
Teacher: Mrs. Somppi 505-527-9475

10th Grade - Ads Targeted to Teenagers
3rd Place: Norvin Notah, Chris Tsosie, Tohatchi High School, Tohatchi, NM
Teacher: Kirk Henwood, 505-733-2206

NMTPC has been selected by the State Department of Education to be the fiscal agent and manager of the GRADS program for 1998-99. Graduation, Reality And Dual Role Skills is an intervention program for pregnant and parenting teens designed to enhance parenting and employability. There are currently 31 GRADS sites in New Mexico. Sharon Waggoner has been hired as the GRADS Director, Kathy Van Pelt as full-time Coordinator, Helen Tso as part-time Coordinator, and Betsy Jaramillo as Secretary. We are planning to develop a GRADS link to our website in the near future. For more information about GRADS contact Sharon Waggoner at 835-1785 or 450-8860.

From Dear Abby column, (date unknown)

Dear Abby:

I am 17 years old, and like any other teenager I like to laugh, play, study, party and be carefree. There is one part of my life, however, that makes me very different from other girls coy age. I became a mother at age 16. I made a bad decision to have sex too young, without thinking of the consequences.

Tonight as I write this, I am missing the party of the year because I cant afford a baby sitter, not to mention a new dress. I am also a year behind in school and on home studies. I thought my boyfriend loved me, but my baby boy is almost 2, and I havent seen his father since I told him I was pregnant.

I own two pairs of pants and three shirts, and my shoes are off the bargain table at the discount store because the babys needs are expensive and constant. For those of you who think a baby will turn you into a "free" adult, it wont. Heres what you get to do:

1. Wake up for a 2 am, feeding. (For months, I didnt have more than five hours sleep a night.)
2. Wake out of a sound sleep to care for a sick or frightened baby when you cant even think straight yourself.
3. Lug a diaper bag, baby stroller and irritable baby everywhere you go.
4. Never have a penny to spend on cute new clothes or makeup.
5. Lose your friends and disappoint your family.

I am begging to all teenagers to think twice before having sex. See the world first. Go to college. Above all, enjoy your teen years. The opposite sex will always be there, but you can be a teenager only once.

-Teen Mom With A Message

Dear Teen Mom: You present a powerful case from a perspective only a teenage mother could have. I hope your letter reaches
other young people who need to hear it like it really is. Bless you for writing.

Statewide Abstinence Forums Draw Small Crowds

The New Mexico Department of Health held statewide forums (between October 1997 and February 1998) for the purpose of collecting public input regarding abstinence education in our state. Forums were scheduled for Roswell, Las Cruces, Farmington, Taos, and Albuquerque (2). The Farmington event was canceled due to lack of registrants and the other five forums drew very modest size audiences. The purpose of these forums was to seek information and recommendations from local community members on how to best meet their needs in implementing programs that address abstinence, and also to assist with the development of an RFP for federal monies. Given the national discussion about abstinence education, and the fact that New Mexico would be receiving federal funding for this purpose, it was expected that there would be more interest - but only 140 people attended all five forums.

In addition to the forums, DOH also created a survey for the purpose of eliciting the same basic information from people who could not attend the forum. Although hundreds of surveys were distributed, only 145 were returned, and that included those people attending the forums.

One can only speculate why such a supposedly "hot button issue" did not draw more interest. Most people who attended gave the event itself a high rating but participants expressed disappointment in the small turnout and the lack of diversity.

Such a small number of forum participants and survey respondents make it difficult to make any serious statements about what New Mexicans believe or want in abstinence education. However, one interesting note is that when asked about risk factors that lead to early sexual intercourse, the highest number of people identified "prior or current sexual abuse in the home".

A complete (and large!) analysis of information based on the forums and surveys was created by Dr. Betty Caponera for the Department of Health. For more information contact, Karen Garcia at the NM Department of Health, 476-8578.

Many Young Mothers Are in a Funk

More than a year after having a first birth, teenage mothers are more likely than mothers aged 25-34 to exhibit symptoms of depression, according to an analysis of data from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Among 15-17-year old mothers, 28% of whites and 48% of blacks had depressive symptoms, among those aged 18-19, the proportions were 33% and 37% respectively. By contrast only 25% of black and 14% of white mothers aged 25-34 were depressed. In analyses controlling for income and marital status, young black teenagers and older white teenagers were nearly twice as likely as adult mothers to be depressed, but no difference was found between older black teenagers or younger white teenagers and adults.

Observing that depressed adolescent mothers often are unmarried, have low educational attainment and receive public assistance, the analysts noted that teenage mothers may require both mental health and social support services. Furthermore, they conclude, these young womens frequent connection with public assistance programs provides a potential arena for the initiation of mental health assessments and referrals.

Family Planning Perspecitves
May/June 1998

NMTPC Has a New Publication Called:

Teen Pregnancy: Focus on New Mexico.

The contents include statistical information about teenpregnancy in our State with comparisons to the national data.
For your free copy, call or email the NMTPC office and leave your name, address, and phone number. (505) 244-9297

In last falls newsletter, we reported on a survey of incarcerated male teens and their attitudes about paternity. The original survey of 125 boys (age 14 - 17) took place in Alabama. At that time we told you we would attempt to duplicate the study at the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center (BCJDC) in Albuquerque.

With the assistance of Board member Robert Pacheco (also a BCJDC employee), just short of 125 incarcerated male teens were asked the same questions within the last six months. The preliminary results are listed below, with the Alabama results in parenthesis.

When asked about how they would feel "if they got a girl pregnant" now:

• 58% said they would be pleased (Alabama - 63%)
• 76% thought their friends would be pleased with them (80%)
• 30% thought their families would be pleased for them (40%)
• 84% thought they could get a good job and support a child (85%)
• 84% said they would be a good role model (78%)
• 92% said their child would be proud of them (89%)

This newsletter funded in part by the New Mexico Departments of Education, Adult, Technical, and Vocational Education and the Department of Health, Public Health Division.

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