The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy provides statewide leadership to prevent adolescent pregnancy and to promote quality services for pregnant and parenting teens and their children through policy analysis, education, research and advocacy.
News
For Parents
Are you a parent of a teenager? If so, you probably have concerns about teen pregnancy, sexual behavior, and sexual health. The good news is, you may be a bigger influence on your teen than you think.
In the Media
On June 23rd, Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance on teen Pregnancy appeared on Channel 2, WGBH’s Greater Boston to discuss teen pregnancy at Gloucester High School.
Hear what she has to say.
Select news articles on the Gloucester High School
rise in teen pregnancy:
There have been several recent news stories on teen pregnancy. To read the articles please click on the following links:
Teen pregnancy in western Massachusetts
WBUR, 6/16/08
For the pdf, click here
Teen pregnancy, part III -- Meeting teen moms, mp3
WFCR, 6/13/08
Teen pregnancy, part II -- Teen parents do their part, mp3
WFCR, 6/12/08
Teen pregnancy on the rise -- part I, mp3
WFCR, 6/11/08
Lowell middle schools stick with teaching abstinence
The Boston Globe, 6/8/08
For the pdf, click here
Efforts to cut teen sex, STDs faltering, report says
The Boston Globe, 6/5/2008
For the pdf, click here
Report grim on teens after foster care
The Boston Globe, 6/5/2008
For the pdf, click here
Gloucester stymied by rise in teen pregnancy
The Boston Globe, 6/6/2008
For the pdf, click here
The Alliance has been featured in several news stories.
Less affluent areas see increase in teen births
Boston Globe, 3/16/08
for pdf version click here
New approach on Latina teen pregnancy
Springfield Republican, 3/9/08
Co-authored by Alliance Board Member Dr. Sarah Perez McAdoo
for pdf version click here
Spike in Gloucester High pregnancies alarms officials
Gloucester Daily Times, 3/7/08
for pdf version click here
Our view: GHS pregnancy spike needs a communitywide response
Gloucester Daily Times, 3/10/08
for pdf version click here
Teen STD rate not surprising to some area health experts
Sentinel and Enterprise, 3/12/08
for pdf version click here
Teen Birth Rates Increase Significantly in Many Massachusetts Communities
On February 13, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released Massachusetts Births 2006. The statewide teen birth rate continued its slow decline, reaching 21.3 births per 1,000 teen girls ages 15-19 in 2006, down 2% from the following year, when the rate was 21.7 per 1,000. While this is good news, there are still substantial ethnic and racial disparities; the Latino teen birth rate in 2006 (72.7 per 1,000) was nearly 6 times that of White teens (12.4 per 1,000).
Many communities, such as Lawrence, Springfield, New Bedford, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Framingham, Leominster, Plymouth, and Cambridge witnessed double-digit increases in the teen birth rate between 2005 and 2006. Leominster had the highest increase, at 73%.
Several communities with perennially high teen birth rates saw significant decreases in 2006. Pittsfield’s rate dropped 6%, Revere’s dropped 19% and Chicopee’s dropped 19%.
Note: community-specific data are based on 2005 population estimates and will be updated as soon as more recent estimates are available.
For our fact sheet on selected communities in Massachusetts please click here
For our press release please click here.
To read the full Department of Public Health report please click here.
2009 Fiscal Year Budget
The Governor signed a 28.1 billion budget with $122.5 million in vetoes. However, the Governor did not veto or cut any of the line items related to teen pregnancy prevention or teen parent services. This budget level funds or increases funding to all of these line items. Thanks to all of our partners who helped advocate for these important services!
Please remember to thank your legislators and Governor Patrick.
To find out who represents you, click here.
To contact the Governor, call: 617-725-4005.
Please click here to view the final Fiscal Year 09 Budget.
Partners in Prevention Community Partnerships
The Alliance is currently partnering with nonprofit organizations serving youth in five Massachusetts communities. The Partners in Prevention project, with generous funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, assists these partners in selecting, implementing, and evaluating science-based approaches to teen pregnancy prevention.
Lawrence
Health Quarters
Holyoke and Springfield
The YEAH! (Youth Empowerment Adolescent Health) Network
Southbridge
Health Awareness Services/Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program, Oxford Public Schools
Attleboro
Community Care Services
For more information on this project, please contact the Prevention Program Manager at fletcher@massteenpregnancy.org
Upcoming Workshops!
Check back often for future workshops
Click here to learn more about how
PREVENTING TEEN PREGNANCY SAVES TAXPAYER DOLLARS
Alliance in the News
Abstinence and the Classroom: Boston Globe Op Ed (4/29/07) by our Director of Public Policy, Patricia Quinn
Our 2007 Teen Parent Lobby Day, received state-wide press coverage in the following newspapers (click to read article): Berkshire Eagle, Boston Globe, Boston Metro, Gloucester Times, Holyoke Republican, Lowell Sun, North Adams Transcript, Reading Advocate, Worcester Telegram
New Resources Available
To view our new report, From the Community, for the Community: Bridging Research and Practice in a Local Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, click here. In addition, we have also posted a resource manual for those working with pregnant teens in English and Spanish, entitled Baby Steps. To view these documents, please click here.
*HIV Content Notice: *
CDC Announcement: The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy Website contains HIV prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences.
Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
105 Chauncy Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02111
617.482.9122 Main, 617.482.9129 Fax
