Click here to view Texas Department of Health Abstinence info.

Click here to view Nueces County Hospital District Community Abstinence Program.

The purpose of the Abstinence Education Program is to provide abstinence education and promote abstinence activities with a focus on those groups of individuals who are at-risk of bearing children out of wedlock. Texas Department of Health funds this grant.

Communities in School - Abstinence Program

Background Information
 

Curriculum Summary

Choosing the Best curriculum is consistent with Title V Federal guidelines A-H for abstinence only education. This curriculum and its educational materials meet the federal definition of abstinence education, established in Section 510 of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act (Title V). Communities in Schools is currently implementing the curriculum in 12 high schools and 6 middle schools in Nueces and San Patricio Counties. We are anticipating continuing the use of this curriculum for the CBAE grant. Choosing the Best Soul Mate is targeted for students grades 11-12; Choosing the Best Journey is targeted for high school students grades 9-10; Choosing the Best Life is targeted for grade 8; Choosing the Best Path is for upper middle school grades 7; and Choosing the Best Way for lower middle school, grades 6. Each program covers: the risk of teen sexual behavior, the rewards of abstinence, relationship education, peer pressure, refusal skills, abstinence pledge, character education, building self-esteem, and parent interview assignments. Choosing the Best-Studies conducted by the Northwestern University School of Medicine from 1994-1996 on the effectiveness of Choosing the Best with more than 3,800 middle school students in 49 Illinois middle schools demonstrated:

• 75 percent of all students indicated an intention to be abstinent until marriage.
• 60 percent of sexually active students indicated an intention to be abstinent in the future.
• 54 percent of recently sexually active students were no longer sexually active a year later

Department of State Health Services

The purpose of the Abstinence Education Program will be to provide abstinence-only education activities that promote abstinence from sexual activity with a focus on those groups of individuals who are most likely to bear children out of wedlock. CIS is focusing on those school districts, within Nueces and San Patricio Counties that we have successfully developed abstinence programs due to our success. The school districts to be served are Corpus Christi Independent School District, Flour Bluff Independent School District, Tuloso-Midway Independent School District, Calallen Independent School District, West Oso Independent School District, Gregory-Portland Independent School District and Sinton Independent School District.

OBJECTIVES and NEED for ASSISTANCE: Teenage pregnancy is a serious problem in Nueces County, which ranks the highest among the thirteen most populous counties in Texas. The goal of the project is to continue to implement abstinence education programs for adolescents, ages 12-18, in seven school districts in Nueces and San Patricio Counties in Texas. The objectives of the project are: 1) Implement abstinence-only education for a minimum of 6,655 adolescents, ages 12-18, for eleven schools in seven school districts in Nueces and San Patricio Counties, each grant year; 2) Implement abstinence-only programs that target the prevention of teenage pregnancy and premarital sexual activities for a minimum of 6,655 adolescents, ages 12 through 18, during each grant year; 3) Implement abstinence-only education approaches that are culturally sensitive and age appropriate, meeting the needs of a diverse audience of adolescents, ages 12 through 18; 4) Implement community-based educational programs that promote abstinence-until marriage decisions to adolescents, ages 12 through 18.

APPROACH: Communities In Schools (CIS) will continue to implement abstinence-only programs that target the prevention of teenage pregnancy and premarital sexual activities by use of the following three components: 1) Casemanagement, 2) Curriculum and 3) Parental Involvement.
The program will serve a minimum of 6,655 youth. CIS has developed and will implement abstinence-only programs that target the prevention of teenage pregnancy and premarital sexual activities by use of the following three components: 1) Casemanagement; 2) Curriculum; and 3) Parental Involvement. CIS will implement abstinence-only education for each participating school district by housing a full-time case manager at each school site. Casemanagers will be responsible for conducting abstinence-only classes, utilizing the curriculum Choosing the Best, which is consistent with Title V Federal Guideline for abstinence education and is responsive to the eight elements of the Section 510(b)(2)-abstinence education definition, as well as consistent with the 13 themes.
 

NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT
COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM:
Communities In Schools, Corpus Christi, Inc.

Project Abstract:

PROBLEM: Teenage pregnancy is a serious problem in Nueces County, which ranks the highest among the eleven most populous counties in Texas. According to statistics comparing the eleven most populous counties in Texas provided by the 2003 Kids Count Factbook's Texas Kids Count Project, a project of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, Austin, Texas, the rate of Births to all Teens, ages 13-19 years, in Nueces County is 17.8%, which is the highest rate among the eleven most populous counties in the State. The average total percent of Births to all Teens in the State of Texas is 14.7%. This statistic is particularly alarming since Texas' teenage pregnancy rate is second highest in the Nation according to the 2003 Kids Count Data Book, published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Goals and Objectives: The goal of the project is to implement abstinence-only programs that target the prevention of teenage pregnancy and premarital sexual activities.

METHODOLOGY: Communities In Schools will implement abstinence-only programs that target the prevention of teenage pregnancy and premarital sexual activities by use of the following three components: 1) Case management will be provided to students that are identified as those most at risk for teen pregnancy and STD's. The CIS model of case management is based on a six-component model (supportive guidance, educational enhancement, enrichment activities, health & human services, parental involvement, pre-employment); 2) Curriculum will be utilized to provide abstinence education for the priority population, ages 12-18 at the designated school sites. The highly effective and proven curriculum, Choosing the Best will be used by the project: 3) Parental Involvement will be emphasized to maximize the success rate of the abstinence program. The case manager at each site will conduct Parent Training's every month.

PROJECT GOALS and OBJECTIVES (list):
GOAL 1: Communities In Schools will implement abstinence education programs for adolescents, grades 9th-12th, in three high schools in Nueces County.
Objective 1.1: Communities In Schools will implement abstinence-only programs that target pre-sexually active adolescents and sexually active adolescents for a minimum of 1035 adolescents, grades 9th-12th, during each grant year.
GOAL 2: Communities In Schools will implement community-based educational programs that educate and support parents and families of adolescents.
Objective 2.1: Communities In Schools will implement community-based educational programs that educate and support parents and families of adolescents for a minimum of 150 parents/families of adolescents, grades 9th-12th, during each grant year.