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TeenNow California Resources
Letter to the Editor on Contraceptive Coverage
As
you may know, the Obama administration recently ruled that health
insurers must cover birth control at no-cost to the consumer under the
new health care law. This is a monumental step forward for women’s
health! Unfortunately,
some religious groups continue to push back on this decision, and
some newspapers have taken their side. The National Women's Law
Center has drafted a template letter to the editor on the issue (see
below). You may use it as is or personalize it as you see fit. Let us
know if you have any questions, and if your letter gets placed in any
local newspapers in California.
Contraceptive coverage template
The Obama administration recently ruled that
health insurance plans must
include contraception among the preventive services available to women
without deductibles or co-pays under the new health care law. But some
have disagreed with the administration’s decision not to expand an
exception it created for religious employers to encompass a broader set
of other employers that are “affiliated” with a religion that opposes
contraception.
Concern about employers whose principles would be offended by having to underwrite such coverage ignores the principles of the many thousands of California, plus their dependents, who want and would be denied this important health coverage if the exception had been expanded. Further, much evidence demonstrates that, in practice, employers would not really be underwriting this coverage, since their premiums would likely not change, or could even decrease, when contraceptive coverage is included.
Birth control use is nearly universal among women of child-bearing age, including Catholic women. The decision not to expand the exception was the right one – as a matter of public health, respect for individual conscience and simple fairness to California women and their families.
TeenNow California Curriculum Lending Library
TeenNow California members can now take advantage of a new member benefit! In the interest of promoting the use of evidence-based approaches in sex education, we have purchased several curricula that meet the rigorous standards of science-based approaches. The curricula were chosen because they were approved by at least three authorities on science-based sex education, and because research has shown them to be effective at reducing unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), or high-risk sexual behaviors.
To borrow a curriculum, you must be a current TeenNow California member, and you must agree to follow our policies and abide by copyright laws. These materials are for review only--you may not copy them or use them in your programs, and they must be returned by the due date assigned. To take advantage of this new program, download our Lending Library Form and carefully read all the rules and instructions.
Rights, Respect, Responsibility—The 3R Campaign
What Is the 3Rs Campaign?
Developed by Advocates for Youth in 2001, the New 3Rs is a change in paradigm for adolescent health services. Taking a very youth-driven, youth-positive approach. the campaign aims to change the way that adults—parents, community leaders, and youth-serving professionals—view their relationship with teens.
TeenNow California is committed to promoting the new approaches of the 3Rs. Watch this page for more resources you can use to implement the 3R approach in your work. Also, check out the resources linked here to help you get started.
Core Values:
- Rights: We believe youth have the right to accurate information and access to health services.
- Respect: We respect youth as valued members of the community, with much to offer.
- Responsibility: We trust youth to make responsible decisions when they are provided information, taught skills and given support to do so.
The proven public health strategies that The New 3Rs employs include:
- Family communication,
- Comprehensive sex education,
- Confidential and accessible health services,
- Effective mass media campaigns,
- Positive youth development and
- Public policies based on sound public health approaches.
Tools for Advocacy
Use these tools and guidelines to advocate for your program, protest budget cuts, and draw attention to the importance of teen parenting and pregnancy prevention programs.
Program Fact Sheets
Now is the time to Advocate
for Programs that Serve Expectant and Parenting Teens
(PDF, 36 KB)
Venn Diagram
The following Venn Diagram by Juanita Weber is
being reprinted to enable TeenNow California members and others to use it for advocacy
purposes.
Venn Diagram
(PDF, 32
KB)