The University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio’s UT Teen Health received a $9.86 million federal grant to reduce teen pregnancies in rural South Texas over the next five years.
The funding is part of a $68.5 million package issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Over the next year, 53 organizations in 29 states and Puerto Rico will receive funding for science-based teen pregnancy prevention programs.
In Texas, the grant will improve adolescent health equity in 38 mostly-rural counties in the lower Rio Grande Valley. UT Teen Health will implement evidence-based programs and promote youth development across schools, clinics, community-based organizations, detention centers, and group and residential care programs, according to a UT Health officials.
Additionally, outreach efforts through the UT Teen Health program will seek to strengthen family, caregiver, and teen communication through community programs and relationship education curriculum, as well.
“These programs will promote youth-centered, medically accurate, high-quality programming and services that improve health outcomes and promote optimal health for youth ages 10-24, using a sustainable model to train facilitators to reach 16,000 youth annually,” said Dr. Kristen Plastino,
director of UT Teen Health, in a media statement.
Teen pregnancy in South Texas is four times higher than the national average, according to UT Health officials. The teen birthrate has dropped by 78% since 1991 but remains high among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black teens. In South Texas, where most of the population is Hispanic, teen birthrates are even higher, UT Health officials also said.
UT Teen Health’s outreach efforts went into effect July 1.
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This article appears in Jun 28 – Jul 11, 2023.