In 1998, of the 661 children born to teen parents in Stanislaus County, 223 (30%) were born outside of Modesto in communities under 52,000 population. Stanislaus County ranks 15th in the state of California in teen pregnancy births.

In 1998 in Stanislaus County, there were 57.3 teen births per 1000 population. The state average for 1998 was 53.2 births per 1000.

Births in Patterson are at a rate of 96.2 per 1000. That average is nearly twice that of the state rate. And although the birth rate to teens is decreasing statewide, the impact of the teen birth problem is driving various programs in rural areas of the county.

Laura Tarlo, coordinator of the R.E.A.L. Project (Responsibility, Education, Attitude and Leadership) of the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, says that rural areas are starting to realize that teen pregnancy is affecting their communities as well. "People often associate teen pregnancy with urban and inner city areas," Tarlo recently noted. "But it's an issue that crosses all geographic areas and socioeconomic levels. The good news is that rural communities are now open to creating positive ways to help decrease teen pregnancy rates."

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs running on Thursdays in Patterson

One program offered by the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency in Patterson is Postponing Sexual Involvement (PSI) at Patterson Junior High School. PSI is a five-day (one hour per day) course that conducted once per year at the junior high. It is an abstinence-based curriculum that covers information and skills designed to help youth resist social and peer pressures to become sexually involved, decision making, relationships and assertive communication skills

The Teen Outreach Program (TOP) is held at Patterson High School on Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. – noon. TOP is a semester long curriculum which is conducted with all ninth grade students during their health course. An HSA health educator goes out to the high school once per week during the school year. TOP's goal is to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and includes life skills such as decision making, goal setting,

communication/assertiveness, values clarification, adolescent growth and development and contraceptive education. The HSA works in conjunction with the Community of Caring Program at the Patterson High School in the TOP program implementation.

Another HSA program that has been embraced by the community of Patterson is the Circulo de Hombres Program targeting young Latino males. The program is based on the indigenous, culturally rooted concept of the "noble man" or el hombre noble. The program involves discussions of decision making, relationship building, respect and responsibility. The program is run at Patterson High School by Sal Vera, an employee of the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency's R.E.A.L. Project.

"You can't know where you are going if you don't know where you came from," says Vera. "Kids today need to understand their identity. They don't know who they are. . . so they go out and become something they really aren't."

According to Vera"our mission here is to educate, motivate and empower young men to make the right decisions in their lives. When they have the education and tools and can see the consequences of their choices, most times their motivation changes and thus their decisions can change."

Vera uses talking circles with his class participants. Conversations among the members of the circle move as the group directs, leading to meaningful discussion.

Vera also runs a program called Straight Talk for high-risk young men who are on probation. The program is run in conjunction with the Stanislaus County Probation Department. Open discussion and breaking down barriers are an essential part of communicating a positive message to participants in this program. Straight Talk is run with the cooperation of the West Side Community Alliance and is a twelve week program.

Speaking Clearly or Hablando Claro is a workshop for parents of teens and preteens which helps them to increase and enhance their skills in communicating with their children on sexuality issues. The HSA recently conducted a five-week workshop for Latino parents in February which was very successful. These workshops are offered on an as needed or invitation basis for schools, churches, or other civic organizations.

Through a subcontract with the Muir Trail Girl Scout Council, the HSA recently began a program for pregnant and parenting teens at Del Puerto High School. The program has a youth development approach. Curriculum is designed to teach teens that their educational and vocational goals will affect their plans for a family and that their sexual decisions will affect their vocational options. The major focus in on goal setting, healthy relationship building, and decision making.

Through a subcontract with the Center for Human Services, a group mentoring and drop in center has been established at Patterson High School. The drop in center is open two afternoons a week and staffed by the Center. Teens can come by and talk, do homework, or work in the computer lab. One afternoon per week is devoted to a more structured curriculum to assist students improve skills in goal setting, problem solving skills, and to build a sense of purpose and future. Several adult mentors from Patterson have been recruited and come to the program work with teens and to establish a linkage between themselves and the youth.

The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency is also highlighting several other special programs during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month including:

1. Teen pregnancy prevention slides running at a local movie theatre
2. Special karaoke contest at Beyer Skate Park on May 25 from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. This is an afterschool program where kids are skateboarding and rollerblading. Live remote from local radio station.
3. Special karaoke contest at Mellis Park on May 27 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
4. Poetry and essay contest at Patterson High School & Modesto High School
5. Lunch time rally at Modesto High School on May 30 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency (HSA) is an outpatient medical system with 9 medical offices located throughout Stanislaus County. The HSA operates the Public Health Department, an Urgent Care Center and multiple programs serving over 400,000 patients and clients each year in Stanislaus County. The HSA also is in local partnerships for the MOMobile project and the Stanislaus Family Practice Residency Program. The HSA has extensive community health information available at its web site www.schsa.org