Projections: Reduce Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
Where Will Your State Be in 3, 5 or 10 Years?
Questions to Consider
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Has your state set targets for reducing teen pregnancy? For unplanned pregnancy? If so, what progress has your state achieved to date?
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What will rates of teen and unplanned pregnancies be in five or more years, if you continue on the current course?
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Is this projection OK? Are the anticipated conditions acceptable?
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Are the costs associated with this indicator likely to increase or decrease at a similar rate? Will those investments achieve returns?
What You Need to Know
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Some federal block grants require that state plans address teen pregnancies/births.
States are required to set teen birth goals in the Maternal and Child Health block grant state plan. States must also include information on reducing out-of-wedlock births, including pregnancies and births to teens, in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families state plan. Details are available through the state departments of health and human services.
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Examining the data for differences in rates among geographic and racial and ethnic subpopulations may suggest targeted strategies.
Specific projections for teens and young adults within racial and ethnic groups, and urban and rural communities, for example, often provide different pictures of the necessary array of services and supports. In the absence of state or local level data for these groups, using national data is helpful to show the likelihood that the issue is relevant in a given state.
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Maintaining a stable course, or even a slight decline, may not be good enough.
When trends and projections are either flat or showing a slight improvement, it can be tempting to settle for “good enough.” However, these numbers represent actual lives and can have an enormous impact on their futures.
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Linking teen and unplanned pregnancies with high priority issues may increase public and political will for action.
Teen and unplanned pregnancies impact high school and college drop out rates, outcomes for youth in foster care, early childhood development, and poverty and self-sufficiency outcomes. Public investments in prevention are proven to be cost effective and generate economic benefits for individuals and society.