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Health Resources and Services Administration

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 12, 2004
Contact: HRSA Press Office
301-443-3376

HRSA Awards $31 Million in New Grants to Support Abstinence Education

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) today announced 50 new grants totaling more than $31 million to help communities develop and put in place abstinence-only education programs for adolescents ages 12 through 18. 
 
“Sexual activity before marriage can have a negative social and psychological impact on teenagers,” Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. “Abstinence-only education programs support teens in their decision to remain abstinent until marriage.”
 
HRSA awarded the three-year Community-Based Abstinence Education implementation grants to public and private organizations, including community-based and faith-based groups, hospitals, health centers, school systems and other youth services agencies. 
 
Abstinence education interventions are designed to reduce the number of adolescents who engage in premarital sexual activity and, consequently, the number of pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among unmarried teens.  Projects also encourage teenagers to avoid risky behaviors associated with early sexual involvement, such as alcohol and drug use.
 
“Helping youth see that abstinence can be positive and rewarding is the essence of this program’s message,” says HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke.
 
The Abstinence Education Grant Program, funded as part of HRSA’s Special Projects of Regional and National Significance, began in FY 2001.  In the first three years of the program, 102 implementation grantees have provided abstinence education services in communities nationwide.  A table of grant recipients follows:
 
FY 2004 Community-Based Abstinence Education Grants
Organization  City State  Award 
Alabama State University
 Montgomery  Ala. $740,211
Fayetteville Public Schools
Fayetteville Ark. 447,099
Catholic Social Service of Central & Northern Arizona
Mesa Ariz. 776,171
Arizona-Mexico Border Health Foundation Tucson Ariz. 631,792
Pima Youth Partnership
Tucson Ariz. 729,365
Teen Awareness, Inc.
Fullerton
Calif. 800,000
The Await & Find Project
Hayward
Calif. 800,000
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa
Calif. 361,605
Best Friends Foundation
Washington
D.C. 754,785
Osceola County Health Department
Kissimmee Fla. 799,791
Thinksmart Abstinence Education Program/Catholic Diocese of Orlando Orlando Fla. 800,000
James B. Sanderlin Family Center St. Petersburg Fla. 371,761
Choosing the Best, Inc.
Atlanta Ga. 799,910
East Central Georgia Consortium Thomson Ga. 799,814
Carefirst Prevention Services Chicago Ill. 754,879
Family Centered Educational Agency, Inc. S. Holland Ill. 400,840
Carenet Pregnancy Services of DuPage
Westmont Ill. 295,442
St. Vincent Hospital & Health Services, Inc.
Indianapolis Ind. 768,646
A Positive Approach to Teen Health, Inc.
Valparaiso Ind. 469,266
Door of Hope Pregnancy Care Center Madisonville Ky. 317,067
Character Counts in Maine S. Portland Maine 499,000
New Genesis, Inc.
Kalamazoo Mich. 737,925
Providence-St. John Health
Southfield Mich. 262,516
Booneville School District
Booneville Miss. 282,784
Community Matters, Inc.
Brandon Miss.
784,227
Mississippi Community Development Corp.
Jackson Miss. 800,000
The Mississippi Community Education Center
Jackson Miss. 750,600
Impact Community Development Corp.
Montclair N.J. 439,307
Columbus Hospital Newark N.J. 393,500
Best Choice Educational Services, Inc. Albuquerque N.M. 536,583
Catholic Charities of Buffalo Buffalo N.Y. 800,000
Jewish Child Care Association New York N.Y. 797,010
Ross County Health District Chillicothe Ohio 800,000
The RIDGE Project, Inc. Holgate Ohio 800,000
Eugene Pregnancy Support Center Eugene Ore. 368,560
Pennsylvania Association of Latino Organizations Harrisburg Pa. 799,569
Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Philadelphia Pa. 799,500
HOPE Worldwide Wayne Pa. 798,418
Heritage of Rhode Island W. Kingston R.I. 400,260
Alpha Center
Sioux Falls S.D. 294,962
Why kNOw Abstinence Education, Inc.
Chattanooga Tenn. 474,855
Centerstone Community Mental Health Centers, Inc.
Nashville Tenn. 781,000
Communities in Schools-Corpus Christi, Inc.
Corpus Christi Texas 613,335
Jordan Community Development Corporation
Dallas Texas 312,776
Celebrate Kids, Inc. Fort Worth Texas 800,000
JOVEN San Antonio Texas 752,312
Scott & White Memorial Hospital Temple Texas 799,341
McLennan County Collaborative Abstinence Project Waco Texas 800,000
Teen-Aid, Inc.
Spokane Wash. 800,000
Rosalie Manor Milwaukee Wis. 798,000
TOTAL: $31,694,784

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