Teen Pregnancy Prevention

The main goal of OCCHD's Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program is to reduce teen births in the Oklahoma City-County area by using evidence-based programs to change behavior. These behaviors include:

• Delaying the onset of sexual activity
• Increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth
• Reducing pregnancy among youth

The TPP program helps to increase awareness of healthy behaviors by helping teens focus on:

• Setting goals and decision-making skills
• Consequences of risk-taking behaviors
• Myths and facts about pregnancy
• Techniques to respond to peer pressure, including refusal and negotiation skills

We also have lessons that focus on healthy relationships, adolescent development, healthy life skills, risk reduction strategies, and communication skills.

Our TPP team has collaborated with other public and private agencies in the Oklahoma City area that promote teen pregnancy prevention. These agencies are all working together to combat the high teen pregnancy rates in our state.These agencies include:

• The Kirkpatrick Family Fund
• The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA)
• Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma
• Teen Empower
• Variety Care

Collaboration with these agencies is so effective that word has gotten out about our OCCHD TPP team and the services we can offer to schools.

As of 2013, the OCCHD TPP team teaches three different teen pregnancy prevention curricula in more than 15 metro-area schools. They are currently teaching 30 classes for middle school and high school students and already have a waiting list for schools wanting their services for this upcoming school year.