Grant Will Help Groups Promote Teen Abstinence

Seven community groups will share part of a $739,000 federal grant to promote abstinence from sex among teenagers, the state Department of Health has announced.

Each of the groups will receive $40,000 to $55,000 to design programs with the aim of reducing teen pregnancy and out-of-wedlock births.

“We are excited about the seven excellent proposals,” said Dr. Maxine Hayes, assistant secretary of Community and Family Health. “The overall caliber and number of innovative approaches indicates a clear interest in this issue.”

The groups are: The Children’s Project, Seattle; Clallam County Family Planning, Port Angeles; Lummi Indian Business Council, Bellingham; Lutheran Social Services of Washington and Idaho, TriCities; Pioneer Middle School, Walla Walla; Seattle Public Schools, Seattle; and Whatcom County Pregnancy Center/RELATE, Bellingham.

Another $200,000 will be used by the state superintendent of public instruction office for its Teen Aware Program. The remainder will be used by the state to manage and evaluate the abstinence programs.

The money, which was awarded to the state in November, is from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.