Statewide Chair Mary McLellan Heritage Community Services Regional Chairs Mariscia Cooper (Pee Dee) Charlie Lybrand (Lowcountry) Lenna Neill (Upstate) Rev. Randy Riddle (Grand Strand) Dr. Roger Rollins (CSRA) Charlotte Valentine-Green (Ace Basin)   Advisory Council Eugene Bacote Darlington School District Dr. Vera Bailey Hilton Head Preg. Care Center Pamela Berry Colleton Fire and Rescue Dr. Vonda Calcutt Lowcountry Ctr. Diabetes Sen. Chip Campsen Charleston/Berkeley Rev. Chuck Coward Charleston Outreach Robin Crosby Colleton County Ligure Ellington Ret.Capt. Charleston City Police Dr. Randy Goings Chiropractic Physician Faye Hill Lowcountry Pregnancy Center & SC Association Pregnancy Care Centers WC Hoecke Fatherhood Practioner Leroy Lewis Upward Bound at Cof C Norman L. Moore, Jr. Colonel, USAFR(Ret) Cyndi Mosteller Comm. for Higher Education Alexia Newman Carolina Pregnancy Center Fred Payne Marriage Savers of Upstate Jerry & Barbara Seymour R& R Marriage Min. Ronald Shoupe Colleton County Dr. A. V. Strong A Better Way, Inc. (Gang Out) Dr. Robert Thomas Pulmonary Medicine Pastor Phil Thrailkill St. Luke UMC Hartsville Kelly Walker Upstate Fatherhood Coalition	February 2, 2010 SC Healthy Family Formation Coalition E-News!   Do you think abstinence-centered programs can work? After reading the Op Ed below, check out the article links and VOTE in the Poll!   FOX News Poll      Washington Post Poll     New Study Validates Effectiveness of Abstinence Education: Should Cause Congress to Rethink Their Elimination of Funding for the Approach   Washington DC- In the battle to discover what works to curb teen sexual activity, a study released today in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine reports important, positive outcomes for high-risk, African-American, middle school students.  The study shows that a high-risk population of 6&7 graders receiving abstinence-centered education reduced sexual initiation, reduced the number of sexual partners (a crucial determinant in acquiring an STD), and further showed that abstinence instruction did not deter the use of condoms (a common charge brought by anti-abstinence critics).    Of particular note, students were significantly less likely to initiate sex with the abstinence-centered approach than any other sex education strategy.   “If we are serious about reaching teens with the skills they need to resist sexual activity, the findings supporting the effectiveness of abstinence education should not be ignored," stated Valerie Huber, Executive Director of the National Abstinence Education.   The study authors provide insight that these findings are important because the abstinence–centered approach is preferred in many communities throughout the country.   “The need to provide American parents with choices regarding the type of sex education their children                are offered not only respects local control but underscores the fact that abstinence-centered education is an important response  to the complex issue of teen sex.   Federal funding guidelines require all abstinence-centered education to be theory-based, medically accurate, and focused exclusively on health - the very tenets  that describe the studied abstinence program,” added Huber.   Additional study commentary claims that Abstinence Education is the primary approach funded and promoted by the United States. But, according to Huber, “The reality is that under the Bush Administration, comprehensive sex education received four times the federal dollars as Abstinence Education and reached only 8% of teens.   The Obama Administration completely eliminated abstinence education from the 2010 budget, a rash and imprudent decision that jeopardizes the sexual health of America’s youth.   The positive outcomes of this study provide President Obama important data for his 2011 budget recommendation to Congress.  We urge a crucial course adjustment in funding so that abstinence-centered education can continue to work to reach teens.”  ### About NAEA: NAEA is a professional association that represents organizations and professionals who provide abstinence-centered education to 2 million students per year.     Further reading: Heritage Community Services (Heritage Keepers® Program) An Evaluation of the Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education Program Abstinence Works!  Check out 14 other Abstinence Programs that have been found effective! You’re Teaching My Child What? by Dr. Miriam Grossman Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children by Drs. Joe McIlhaney and Freda Bush     Follow the SC-HFF Coalition on Twitter! Join the Heritage Keepers® Facebook Cause
	The South Carolina Healthy Family Formation Coalition (SC HFF Coalition) is organized and staffed by Heritage Community Services. The SC HFF Coalition promotes child and family well-being by providing opportunities for statewide communication about such issues as: adolescent pregnancy, unwed childbearing, fatherlessness, sexual exploitation of our youth, dating violence and domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, gang activity and youth violence.    Coalition members support healthy family formation initiatives that integrate character-based life skills, teen pregnancy prevention with an emphasis on abstinence-centered education, and the importance of fidelity-within-marriage.   Together we can impact our culture so that forming healthy families becomes a norm, rather than the exception, for South Carolina. Please, forward this E-News to interested friends, family and colleagues and ask them to consider joining the Coalition. Join/Subscribe Unsubscribe PRIVACY POLICY: Information you share will never be sold, rented, or given to any third party. Contact Mary McLellan , Statewide Chairman (843)654-7740 ext.122