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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Health Resource Centers

    Many teenagers face challenges when they need health care. Some of these challenges include being afraid that their privacy won’t be kept safe, having trouble getting rides to appointments, and not being able to go because of the time or cost. The Bureau of Family Health (BFH) aims to help solve these problems with the Health Resource Center (HRC) model.

    HRCs are set up in high schools and community organizations so services are easy for teens to access. Here are some of the important services that HRCs provide:

    • Education about sexual and reproductive health;
    • Private counseling just for you;
    • Testing for infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea, and pregnancy;
    • Help with family planning services; and
    • Free condoms and other tools to help reduce risks.

    The BFH works together with AccessMatters to run HRCs in areas where they are most needed. These areas are chosen because they have high rates of teen pregnancy, gonorrhea, chlamydia, students dropping out of school, and binge drinking.

    Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)

    The Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) allows Pennsylvania to use approved curricula to teach teens how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Trained facilitators teach youth about abstinence and contraception. Other topics include healthy relationships, adolescent development, and healthy life skills.

    Teen Outreach Program

    The Teen Outreach Program allows Pennsylvania to use the Wyman Center's Teen Outreach Program (TOP) to help young people all over the state. It focuses on areas where teen pregnancy rates are higher than the state average. The program also looks at places with high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and risky behaviors like underage drinking and drug use.

    TOP is a proven program that helps young people in grades 6-12 grow and develop in a healthy way. It includes weekly group meetings, lessons, and opportunities to do community service. All of these activities are led by trained facilitators who build strong and supportive relationships with the youth.

    Healthy Teen Relationships

    Teen Dating Violence is a public health concern for youth.  According to the CDC, 1 in 4 youth experience verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse from a dating partner each year.

    The Bureau of Family Health uses the Dating Matters and Safe Dates curriculums to provide youth with skills to create and keep healthy relationships before they start dating. Healthy Teen Relationships programs are designed to reach middle school age youth.