Statewide youth headed for Milwaukee to discuss teen pregnancy prevention

On April 11 and 12, the city of Milwaukee will be joined by youth leaders and concerned professionals from around Wisconsin at the "Youth in Charge, It’s Not Over until We Win" Statewide Teen Pregnancy Prevention Conference at the Milwaukee Hilton-City Center to develop solutions to the pervasive problem of teen pregnancy. The conference, a collaborative effort between the Milwaukee Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Workgroup (APPW) and the Wisconsin Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (WFPRHA) applies an innovative approach by inviting teens to attend and be part of the dialogue.

Youth will be attending the conference from as far away as Potosi on Wisconsin’s western border to the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation in northern Wisconsin. By sharing their voice, knowing their options and being empowered to choose them, youth can take their rightful place in the forefront of the work to prevent teen pregnancy!

Through a series of presentations, dialogues and "edutainment," participants will gain an understanding of: the positive outcomes associated with delaying intercourse and preventing pregnancy, how to access reproductive health information: how adults can better educate teens on these issues, and how to avoid risks associated with sexual activity. Highlights of the conference include a presentation by Dr. Douglas Kirby--a nationally renowned expert and researcher at ETR Associates on teen pregnancy prevention and a series of teen performances featuring music and spoken words that reflect teen realities related to sex, teen pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

According to Conference Steering Committee Co-Chair and WFPRHA Vice President Jackie Bodden, "Youth need to be empowered to break through the barriers (finances, transportation, time, confidentiality concerns) to quality, confidential reproductive health care.

"Youth should be aware of programs like the WI Family Planning Waiver, which may afford them free reproductive health care, and they must know where to get that quality, confidential care they deserve, whether in person, by phone or over the internet."

Milwaukee was chosen to host the conference due to the high rates of teen pregnancy (51.9 as compared to the state average of 21.4 for 18 years) and the large numbers of dedicated professionals committed to making a difference in teens lives.

"‘Youth in Charge: It’s not Over Until We Win’ will be used as a springboard for strategic planning and community action," said Darryl Davidson, Conference Steering Committee co-chair and School Age Health manager and Adolescent School and Community Health Program supervisor for the City of Milwaukee Health Department.

Conference sponsors include Health Care Education and Training, Inc., The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Family Planning Health Services, Inc., Milwaukee Brighter Futures, Milwaukee Public Schools, Northeastern Wisconsin Community Action Program, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services.