MSM's Health Promotion Resource Center and The Statewide Network Among Partners for Parents/Caregivers (SNAPP) Recognize National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
Despite Historic Declines in Teen Pregnancy and Birth Rates, More Work is Needed
ATLANTA -- May 5, 2021 – Morehouse School of Medicine’s Health Promotion Resource Center recognizes May as National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM). This year, the Office of Population Affairs (OPA), which leads efforts against teen pregnancy and National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, celebrates a historic decline in rates of teen pregnancy and births in the United States.
But there is still more work to be done. Despite notable progress in helping teens reach their full potential, there are continued and pervasive disparities in teen pregnancy and birth by race, ethnicity, and in the most vulnerable populations—including youth who are homeless, living in foster care, or involved with the juvenile justice system—compared to the general population. According to the CDC, almost 172,000 babies were born to young women between the ages of 15 and 19 in the United States in 2019. Black and Hispanic teens led in births:
- Hispanic = 26.7
- Black = 26.3
- White = 12.1
Morehouse School of Medicine’s Statewide Network among Partners for Parent/Caregivers (SNAPP) is currently executing a three-year innovation and impact strategy to explore, develop, and disseminate effective parenting and caregiver interventions that help reduce teen pregnancy, STIs, and related risks in Georgia.
The Network of Partners is divided into four committees in partnership with the institution:
- Planning and Search and the Clayton County Board of Health
- Creative Development and ThinkTwice Institute, LLC & The Innovation Learning Lab for Population Health at Morehouse School of Medicine
- Evaluation through African American Churches Transforming Society, LLC & Tressa Tucker & Associates, LLC
- Dissemination through Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
“The Health Promotion Resource Center at Morehouse School of Medicine has been a state-wide leader and champion for parents, youth and families for more than 20 years,” stated Dr. Mary Langley, director of The Health Promotion Resource Center, Morehouse School of Medicine. “We remain committed to the important work of teen pregnancy prevention and set our sights even higher during National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month.”
SNAPP joins organizations across the country in participating in National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Throughout the month of May, SNAPP will be releasing weekly social media updates and featuring our partners and the valuable work they do throughout the state. For more information, please contact Victoria Broussard, program manager, Morehouse School of Medicine at vbroussard@msm.edu.
About Morehouse School of Medicine
Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation’s number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission—the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master’s degrees.
Contact
Nicole Linton
404-756-5238
nlinton@msm.edu