Press Release Archives - Healthy Teen Network

So Long, Farewell!

Mariah Cowsert — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:21:48 +0000

EDITOR’S NOTE: The length of this post is in violation of my “cut-to-the-chase” standard. Apologies in advance.

By Valerie Sedivy, PhD

December 4, 2023

With much joy but also much sadness, last week, we gave our warmest wishes to our beloved colleague and Director of Capacity Building, Valerie Sedivy, PhD. Valerie is on to her next adventure—we can’t wait to hear more—as she steps back into a kind of retirement (but not calling it that, she says!). We will miss you, Valerie, and we will always be thankful for all we learned and shared with you.

The year was 1987, and I was a recent college graduate who had made a giant mistake selecting a major. After a series of truly awful jobs confirming this assessment, I answered a want ad in the newspaper (it was a thing!) to be a medical assistant at a family planning center. I was put to work with a white coat, a can of Aqua Net (for affixing secretions to slides), a blood pressure cuff, a finger stick tool, and 5 minutes of training. Between patients, I read Contraceptive Technology and knew that I had found my happy place.

Soon, I was offered another five minutes of training in community education and handed a birth control kit. My first gigs included juvenile justice centers and schools for the blind and deaf, using notes that the administrators typed up on brown paper to ensure that we wouldn’t make personal copies of our own presentations. I also staffed a community center offering condoms and pregnancy testing. The owners of the building had trouble paying the bills, so in the winter, we brought sleeping bags to sit in and hot water in a thermos to thaw the frozen water in the toilet.

Fast forward to 1997 when I was a recent Ph.D. graduate, and a tiny organization called NOAPP (The National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy) needed an evaluator for a new project. I set to work collecting data on teen pregnancy prevention programs across the country, soon realizing that the bigger story was the difference between how programs looked on paper and the way they were implemented in practice. When the programs didn’t demonstrate positive outcomes, we needed to caution people that they shouldn’t assume that the programs didn’t work, because it turned out that those programs were actually not implemented as planned. The CDC got interested in what was happening with this project (and the concept of program fidelity) and invited us to national conversations about getting scientific with our programming. You know where this is going—the concept of the EBI was born.

Today, NOAPP is Healthy Teen Network, with a staff of 20+ and a capacity-building department that has helped our field strengthen the way they serve young people and has helped us learn from one another at a spectacularly orchestrated annual conference (I am not the lead on this event, so it’s OK for me to brag.). I’m so proud to have been in the trenches and to have had the opportunity to lead this wonderful team.

Like everyone who says goodbye to a long career, I wish I had some unique words of inspiration or insight to offer. I have learned that it’s important to keep talking with people who you might think of as the enemy. I have learned that this is very hard, and very rewarding when it works. I have learned that good colleagues are everything. I’ve been so lucky to have had them here at Healthy Teen Network and across this wonderful field.

I will miss you all.

Valerie Sedivy, PhD, is Director of Capacity Building at Healthy Teen Network, and if you’re looking for training or support, she will be your first point of contact. Her passion is helping you figure out what you need (and what you don’t), and in finding creative and feasible ways to meet those needs. Read more from Valerie .

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Healthy Teen Network Awarded Innovation Grant

Mariah Cowsert — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:50:21 +0000

Through the Incubator Innovation Hub, teams will build their innovation capacity to create new solutions and approaches for adolescent health.

September 1, 2023

For Immediate Release

Baltimore, MD — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) awarded Healthy Teen Network a Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Tier 2 Adolescent Sexual Health Innovations Hub cooperative agreement. The TPP program is a national, competitive program that provides funding to replicate and scale evidence-based programs and develop and evaluate new and innovative approaches to prevent unintentional teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents, promote positive youth development, and advance equity in adolescent health.

The Healthy Teen Network Incubator Innovation Hub, named In/Tend, draws on the concepts of “innovation,” “incubation,” and “intention” to emphasize our role as a catalyst for reshaping unjust systems through participatory research and design. We prioritize “tending to” or “caring for” multiple cohorts of teams to enhance their innovation capacity and create prototypes.

Our goal for the In/Tend Hub is to advance health equity and enhance the sexual and reproductive health and well-being of adolescents by intentionally cultivating teams to develop cutting-edge innovations. We are guided by our vision of a world that affirms and celebrates every young person for who they are and ensures that they have the agency, opportunity, and equitable access to prioritize their bodies, relationships, and futures.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to center young people, their families, and their communities in pursuit of innovative solutions to advance health equity. With In/Tend, we aim to encourage experimentation, exploration, and iteration to drive innovation with intentionality and speed.”
– Janet Max, MPH, CHES; President and CEO

Joining us in this exciting new venture, Child Trends will serve as the Hub evaluator, and we will be collaborating closely with our Equity Accountability Board and subject matter experts. Together, our project team includes individuals with diverse skills and lived experiences, including those with expertise in adolescent sexual and reproductive health; reproductive justice; LGBTQ+, Native American, and disability rights and advocacy; diversity, equity, and inclusion; innovative approaches to research and design; and more.

The In/Tend Hub will be a vibrant ecosystem bringing together dreamers, doers, innovators, and change-makers who stretch and push the boundaries of imagination to develop innovative approaches to adolescent health. We are guided in our work by our innovation approach, which weaves together the principles Human-Centered Design and Liberatory Design. We will challenge norms, amplify diverse voices, and promote inclusivity, connecting a community of disruptors, to ensure our work reflects the needs and experiences of all young people, and their families and communities.

At Healthy Teen Network, we foster a culture of innovation rooted in equity that embraces the belief in universal creativity, encourages experimentation and iteration, values diverse perspectives, considers constraints as catalysts, and remains adaptive and responsive to systemic inequity and the needs of communities.

At Healthy Teen Network, we foster a culture of innovation rooted in equity that embraces the belief in universal creativity, encourages experimentation and iteration, values diverse perspectives, considers constraints as catalysts, and remains adaptive and responsive to systemic inequity and the needs of communities. We know the value of inspiration from diverse sources. We encourage being open to new ideas and perspectives, going beyond surface-level observations, and actively committing to collaboration and inclusivity. We embrace change, celebrate failure as a learning opportunity, and foster a playful attitude to create an inclusive space where new ideas can flourish.

“With our culture of innovation, we create a space where we push the boundaries of imagination to develop innovative approaches to adolescent health.”
–Milagros Garrido, MS, PMP; Director of Innovation and Research

The In/Tend Hub will be an expert intermediary, supporting multiple cohorts of diverse teams to develop, test, and refine prototypes of innovations and innovative strategies. Through our innovation pipeline, we will support teams in discovery, exploring gaps and user needs, identifying existing assets and strengths, and building ideas through to prototype using participatory methods, in pursuit of innovations and innovative strategies to adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

Sign up for our email list to hear more about In/Tend, including when we open applications for our Innovation Development Teams.

Get Updates[et_pb_video play_icon_color=”#E09900″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”540px” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_video]

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Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeenNetwork on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X.

Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications

The Healthy Teen Network In/Tend Incubator Innovation Hub is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,886,783 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit opa.hhs.gov.

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May Is National Sex Ed for All Month (2023)

Mariah Cowsert — Wed, 03 May 2023 22:09:11 +0000

Community Leaders, Parents, and Guardians Lend Their Voice to Promote #SexEdForAll

May 3, 2023

For Immediate Release

B altimore, MD — May is Sex Ed For All Month, a time community leaders, caring adults, and advocates call on local school boards, parent-teacher associations, and lawmakers to invest in sex education that meets the needs of young people and support sex education programs that promote critical thinking, communication skills, sexual health and wellness, consent, and self-esteem.

This month, Representative Pramila Jayapal will be introducing a resolution to support Sex Ed for All Month, and Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Cory Booker and Representatives Barbara Lee and Alma Adams will be re-introducing the Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act (REAHYA). REHYA would provide the first-ever federal funding for comprehensive sex education. REAHYA would ensure youth have access to the education, resources, and health services they need to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and futures.

The vast majority of Republicans and Democrats agree that sex education covering a wide range of topics should be part of school curriculum. Elementary sex education includes discussions on setting boundaries, understanding our bodies, preparing for puberty, and respecting different kinds of families. Conversations for middle schoolers are centered on healthy peer relationships, anti-bullying, and media literacy skills to support a healthy body image and improved self-esteem. At the high school level, sex education focuses on birth control, safer sex, communication skills, and healthy relationships.

“At Healthy Teen Network, we believe every young person has the right to live their authentic sexuality. That means making decisions about their own body and relationships—and feeling good doing it. Decisions about if, when, and how to parent—or not. And the freedom to become who they want to be.

#SexEdForAll is how we can make this a reality, ensuring equitable and accessible sex education for ALL young people nationwide.

Unfortunately, too many young people fail to receive the sexual health information, education, and access to the care they need to lead healthy lives.

Sexual and reproductive health is an essential part of adolescent health and well-being, and we must continue to explicitly call attention to the need–and right–for sex ed for all.”

—Janet Max, MPH, CHES | President & CEO, Healthy Teen Network

Since 2019, May has been recognized as Sex Ed for All Month, as part of a national effort spearheaded by a coalition of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations committed to ensuring equitable and accessible sex education for all young people.

“Sexual and reproductive health is an essential part of adolescent health and well-being, and we must continue to explicitly call attention to the need–and right–for sex ed for all.” — Janet Max, MPH, CHES | President & CEO

National activities are coordinated by the Sex Education Collaborative—representing 23 national, regional, and state-based organizations with extensive experience training educators to deliver school-based sex education—in collaboration with the federal Sex Education Coalition, as well as other national and regional partners.

Get involved this month by telling us why you believe in Sex Ed for All by following and using the hashtag #SexEdForAll on social media.

Get the Tool Kit Sign On to #SexEdForAll Principles[et_pb_video play_icon_color=”#E09900″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”540px” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_video]

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Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeen on Twitter.

Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications

Discover the magic of the Network.

Let’s chat Stay inspired

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Healthy Teen Network and Center for Adolescent Health Awarded Funding to Establish a Research-to-Practice Center

Mariah Cowsert — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 19:06:21 +0000

Healthy Teen Network and Center for Adolescent Health Awarded Funding to Establish a Research-to-Practice Center

The Research-to-Practice Center will equip youth-supporting professionals with the information, skills, and products needed to implement trauma-informed and inclusive sexual and reproductive health care and programming.

October 7, 2022

For Immediate Release

Baltimore, MD—Healthy Teen Network, with the Center for Adolescent Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has been awarded funding by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Population Affairs (OPA) to establish a research-to-practice center to expand the delivery of trauma-informed and inclusive practices in adolescent sexual and reproductive health programming and care.

With the Research-to-Practice Center, the project team envisions a world in which all young people have access to safe, inclusive, and affirming sexual and reproductive health programs and care that are responsive to their lived experiences and supportive of their personal sexual-health journeys. The products and accompanying technical assistance (TA) will improve the quality, access, and equity of adolescent sexual and reproductive health promotion services and programs.

The team will apply a comprehensive and holistic understanding and application of what it means to provide trauma-informed and inclusive programming and care, in person and virtually. Now more than ever, there is a pressing need for widespread integration of trauma-informed and inclusive practices that accounts for the many ways that adversity may impact young people’s sexual and reproductive health.

The Approach

The team will use a human-centered design approach to translate research to practice and create research-based products that are user-friendly and easily accessible to health providers, caregivers, and youth-supporting professionals, as well as professionals working with policymakers, the general public, and other interested parties.

Human-centered design is a creative problem-solving process that begins with cultivating deep empathy with the people who will use the product or service (i.e., the end-user) to develop solutions that are viable and appropriate in their context. The collaborative nature of human-centered design is rooted in feedback-gathering to authentically respect and value end-users’ real-world experiences. This process will ensure the products and technical assistance are responsive to the lived realities of youth-supporting professionals and young people.

When professionals have the support they need, adolescents get the trauma-informed and inclusive, affirming care and education they deserve. Part of this essential support is research-based resources and products that are accessible, practical, and user-friendly. Unfortunately, too often, researchers and product developers claim to translate research to practice by restating or summarizing data and information in formal, inaccessible language without concrete steps to guide practice. With its commitment to human-centered design, this team is uniquely poised to impact public health practice through its end-user-driven approach.

The Team

Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Since 1979, Healthy Teen Network has been building the capacity of professionals and organizations to provide all adolescents and young adults, including young people who are pregnant or parenting, with the inclusive and affirming services, supports, and education necessary to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. As a national leader in adolescent sexual and reproductive, Healthy Teen Network’s diverse and talented efforts are nationally recognized for (1) providing high-quality training and TA to improve practitioners’ ability to develop and implement evidence-based approaches; (2) coordinating and collaborating with national, regional, and state agencies in pursuit of common goals to promote adolescent health and well-being; (3) applying HCD to develop innovative solutions and products; and (4) translating and disseminating complex research and data into accessible, user-friendly content for professionals.

“We are honored and thrilled to have this new opportunity. Teachers and educators, counselors and clinicians, caring adults, every day, they are working hard to provide young people with honest and affirming care and education. But they need resources that are truly user-friendly and provide real guidance on how to put research to practice. The Center will do just that, by centering the end-user—the professionals. Through our human-centered design approach, we know these research-based resources will be better suited to impact their practice, and ultimately, support and empower young people to live their authentic sexuality.”

–Janet Max, President and CEO, Healthy Teen Network

The Center for Adolescent Health is housed within the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Over its nearly three decades as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Prevention Research Center, the Center for Adolescent Health has developed extensive partnership networks with government agencies, healthcare providers, educators, and other Youth-supporting professionals, policymakers, researchers, advocates, community members, and youth. Center faculty and staff aim to promote health equity and well-being for youth through connection and collaboration with this diverse network of young people and community and academic partners on public health research, education, policy, and practice.

“The Research-to-Practice Center is the embodiment of the Center’s mission and core values. We are elated to have the opportunity to ensure that the work of researchers in sexual and reproductive health is translated in partnership with youth-serving professionals and youth so that knowledge transfer is accessible to all and is grounded in the needs of young people.”

– Beth Marshall, Associate Director, Center for Adolescent Health

This work will be enriched by a collaborative partnership with a Research Alliance composed of adolescent health and human-centered design researchers, youth-supporting professionals, and youth.

In sum, the team is a partnership of people remarkably well-trained and well-suited to do this work, with a diversity of expertise and perspectives, including those with proven track records of conducting and translating research, implementing evidence-based approaches, providing training and technical assistance (TA), and working with diverse professionals, communities, and youth populations.

Research-to-Practice Center Director, Milagros Garrido, MS, PMP, Healthy Teen Network, and Principal Investigator, Beth Marshall, DrPH, MPH, Center for Adolescent Health will oversee all activities. By bringing together this diversity of experience and perspective, the team is well-positioned to develop research-to-practice products that can impact practice.

To receive the latest Center news and products, sign up for the Center’s email list.

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Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeen on Twitter.

Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications

Follow @JohnsHopkinsCAH on Twitter.

Contact: Paige Wilson, Communications Director

This project is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (1 PHEPA000006-01) totaling $1,063,776.35 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit opa.hhs.gov.

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May Is National Sex Ed for All Month (2022)

Gina Desiderio — Sun, 01 May 2022 19:01:00 +0000

Community Leaders, Parents, and Guardians Lend Their Voice to Promote #SexEdForAll

May 2, 2022

For Immediate Release

B altimore, MD — May is Sex Ed For All Month, a time parents, guardians, teachers, community leaders, and advocates call on local school boards, parent-teacher associations, and lawmakers to invest in high-quality sex education that meets the full needs of young people, support sex education programs that promote critical thinking, communication, decision-making, consent, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.

The vast majority of Republicans and Democrats agree that sex education covering a wide range of topics should be part of school curriculum. Elementary sex education includes discussions on consent, setting boundaries, understanding our bodies, and the variety of ways families are formed. Conversations for middle schoolers are centered on puberty, healthy peer relationships, anti-bullying, and media literacy skills to support a healthy body image. At the high school level, sex education focuses on birth control, safe sex, communication skills, and supporting positive ideas about sex, gender, and race.

#SexEdForAll is how we can make this a reality, ensuring equitable and accessible sex education for ALL young people nationwide.

Unfortunately, too many young people fail to receive the sexual health information, education, and access to the care they need to lead healthy lives.

Sexual and reproductive health is an essential part of adolescent health and well-being, and we must continue to explicitly call attention to the need–and right–for sex ed for all.”

—Janet Max, MPH, CHES | President & CEO, Healthy Teen Network

“Sexual and reproductive health is an essential part of adolescent health and well-being, and we must continue to explicitly call attention to the need–and right–for sex ed for all.” — Janet Max, MPH, CHES | President & CEO

National activities are coordinated by the Sex Education Collaborative—representing 22 national, regional, and state-based organizations with extensive experience training educators to deliver school-based sex education—in collaboration with the federal Sex Education Coalition, as well as other national and regional partners.

Get involved this month by telling us why you believe in Sex Ed for All by following and using the hashtag #SexEdForAll on social media.

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Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeen on Twitter.

Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications

Discover the magic of the Network.

Let’s chat Stay inspired

The post May Is National Sex Ed for All Month (2022) appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Meet Our Newest Board Members

Mariah Cowsert — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 17:39:48 +0000

Welcome to Donna, Patti, Marissa, Anthony, Marylin, and Zanny!

November 10, 2021

We are so excited to introduce our board members who joined us in 2021! We are grateful to have this new group of individuals who will bring their unique talents, expertise, and perspectives to our work.

Donna Elliston

Donna Elliston, DrPH, MSPH is a Senior Consultant with JSI, where she provides technical assistance to teen pregnancy prevention grantees in the Reproductive Health National Training Center (RHNTC) project. Dr. Elliston completed her academic career obtaining a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College, a Master of Science in Public Health from Meharry Medical College, and a Doctorate in Public Health from Morgan State University. Dr. Elliston is a Public Health Executive with almost 20 years of experience in applied research, technical assistance, and program evaluation serving as a subject matter expert in teen pregnancy prevention, adolescent and maternal and child health, where she managed project teams for federal, state, and local partners. Over the course of her public health career, Dr. Elliston has been committed to advocating for women and girls of color residing in under-served communities. Her commitment to reproductive justice in the implementation of evidence-based programs providing adaptations when necessary and promoting equal access to care and contraceptives has been a targeted focus in her list of accomplishments.

Patti Flowers-Coulson

After a nine-year stint in software customer support and training, Patti decided that she wanted a change. After learning about the role of a Health Educator, Patti knew it would be the field of public health. She received her MHS from The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in 1993 and began a 20-year career focused on adolescent health in local and state government, community college, and private school settings. From 1996 to 2000 Patti served as the Director of the Maryland Governor’s Council on Adolescent Pregnancy—which is where she became acquainted with Healthy Teen Network—and honed skills and found resources to share across the state. After several years of teaching parents and students about developmental risk-taking and sexuality at Baltimore area private schools, she changed paths to become the administrator for BUILD (Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development). BUILD’s 40+ years of successful community organizing helps improve social determinants of health in many Baltimore neighborhoods. Patti recently began a position as a Retention Specialist with Turnaround Tuesday, Inc, a second chance jobs movement with over 1,150 placements since 2014 with an 80% retention rate. In this role, she helps individuals with barriers to employment to stay and advance in employment. To fulfill her continuing passion for working with youth, Patti also volunteers for Thread—an initiative focused on creating connections between and among young people in city schools and adult volunteers to increase graduation rates and post-high school career or educational attainment.

Marissa Latini

As a recent graduate of the Loyola University Chicago dual master’s in Social Work and Women’s Studies and Gender Studies program, Marissa worked as a child welfare advocate for adolescents across the Chicagoland area, a sexual assault advocate for the Loyola campus’s Wellness Center, and most recently, as a domestic violence advocate at Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network in Gainesville, Florida. Marissa focused her academic course work on trauma-informed interventions for adolescents, young adults, and people across the gender spectrum. While at Loyola, Marissa also participated in a year-long opioid workforce expansion training program and served as a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu honor society. She earned the School of Social Work’s President’s Medallion and the Women’s Studies and Gender Studies program’s Mary Griffin award. Marissa is now the Associate Director of Development at My Friend’s Place in Los Angeles, a nonprofit resource center in Hollywood offering a comprehensive continuum of care for homeless youth, helping 1,400 young people each year.

Anthony Motyl

Anthony Motyl, LICSW, Associate Director of Grants and Sponsored Research at Springfield College, has wide-ranging experience in the nonprofit and health care sector as a youth worker, clinical social worker, program director, grant writer, college-level instructor, and consultant. His areas of expertise include winning grants, program design, youth development, public policy analysis, medical education, social determinants of health, primary care integration, mental health and substance use disorders, public health, child welfare, workforce development, prevention programs, homelessness services, trauma-informed practice, clinical supervision, and juvenile justice. Mr. Motyl has a BA in Psychology from Westfield State University and an MSW from Boston College School of Social Work.

Marilyn Preston

Marilyn Preston, PhD, Associate Professor of Human Services at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been involved in adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive well-being for over twenty years. She has experience as a youth worker, case manager, sexuality educator, nonprofit administrator, and professor. Her research focuses on the pedagogy of sexuality education, the use of queer theory in sexuality education, and innovation in delivering sexual health information. Her work has been published in various venues, including the American Journal of Sexuality Education and the Journal of LGBT Youth. Over the last decade, she has worked with several colleges and universities to increase their programmatic and academic offerings around sexual justice, sexual health, and sexual health resources. Marilyn has a BA in Community Studies from Goddard College, an MS in Human Services Administration and Nonprofit Management, and a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies both from the University of Missouri.  

Zanny Regas

Zanny Regas is a current nursing student in Philadelphia. Prior to attending nursing school, she worked as a sexuality educator in various schools. In her most recent position as the Human Development Coordinator at a 4-12 school, she partnered with fellow educators to design and implement a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum rooted in principles of bodily autonomy, consent, harm reduction, and pleasure. An essential pedagogical motive of the sexuality education curriculum was to provide students with an opportunity to get to know their bodies through a rights-based education. The insatiable curiosity and hunger for knowledge displayed by her students inspired Zanny to return to school for nursing. She spent her free time during her first year of nursing school volunteering for a local organization and performing nasal swabs for COVID-19. She learned a lot about how to make COVID tests a fun and tolerable experience for nervous kids. After graduation, she hopes to work as a pediatric nurse. Eventually, Zanny hopes to provide accessible primary preventative care that ensures that young people have access to a health story free of shame and flowing with educational moments.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jamie Street on Unsplash

At Healthy Teen Network, we believe that every young person has a right to live their authentic sexuality. And we see you, the professionals and caring adults, helping them do this. We know you do your best when you’re connected to great opportunities and resources. That’s why we’re here…to help make those connections and support you. Read more about us.

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Healthy Teen Network Welcomes Janet Max as President and CEO

Mariah Cowsert — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:26:59 +0000

With over 16 years of commitment to the organization, Janet brings both experience and dedication to the role.

June 17, 2021

For Immediate Release

B altimore, MD—It is with great pride that Healthy Teen Network announces our new President and CEO, Janet Max, MPH, CHES. With a dedicated tenure of over 16 years with Healthy Teen Network, Janet brings a level of commitment and passion combined with demonstrated experience in leadership, partnerships, strategic planning, and development. Janet Max, MPH, CHES | Healthy Teen Network President and CEO During her time with Healthy Teen Network, Janet has collaborated with public, private, and individual funders to conceptualize, design, implement, and evaluate programs and services to empower youth to thrive. She has long provided the vision and oversight to Healthy Teen Network’s projects while mentoring staff and fostering professional development. Janet has served as a public health advocate and leader and is nationally recognized for her expertise in adolescent sexual and reproductive health, with a special focus on young people who are pregnant and parenting. Healthy Teen Network Board of Directors Chair, Rhoda Smith welcomes Janet in her new role:

“Janet Max has served the Healthy Teen Network with passion and excellence. As President and CEO, she will continue to lead the organization, as we emerge from the global pandemic. She is a strong advocate for youth and is committed to improving their lives and potential with cutting-edge science, innovation, and creativity. Leadership matters and with Janet at the helm, I am convinced that Healthy Teen Network will continue to be a frontrunner in the sexual and reproductive health arena.”

—Rhoda Smith, PhD, Board of Directors, Chair

Healthy Teen Network looks forward with great anticipation to this next chapter under the dedicated leadership of Janet Max.

Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeen on Twitter. Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications Discover the magic of the Network. Let’s chat Stay inspired

The post Healthy Teen Network Welcomes Janet Max as President and CEO appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Sexual & Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice Organizations Applaud Introduction of Legislation to Improve the Health & Well-Being of Young People

Gina Desiderio — Tue, 18 May 2021 17:14:08 +0000

All young people deserve access to high-quality sex education and sexual health care

May 18, 2021

For Immediate Release

Washington, D.C — Today, champions in Congress are introducing the Real Education and Access to Healthy Youth Act of 2021 (REAHYA). The bill, which is led by Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Alma Adams (D-NC) in the U.S. House and Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) in the U.S. Senate, would make essential investments in inclusive and honest sex education programs.

In addition, for young people facing the greatest barriers to sexual health services, the bill would provide funding to help these young people have access to quality and culturally responsive care. Together, these measures will help empower young people to make their own decisions about their bodies and lives.

“Healthy Teen Network thanks Reps. Lee and Adams and Sens. Hirono and Booker for introducing the Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act. This bill is a critical first step to ensuring that all young people have the access to high-quality sex education they need and deserve to lead healthy, fulfilling lives,” explained Janet Max, Healthy Teen Network Interim President and CEO.

The introduction of this legislation coincides with Sex Ed For All Month, a national effort led by a coalition of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice organizations committed to ensuring equitable and accessible sex education for all young people. Throughout May, the coalition pledges to ensure all young people have equitable access to the sex education and sexual health care they deserve. The coalition is particularly focused on ensuring these critical resources are available to all young people, including youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, immigrant youth, young people with disabilities, systems-impacted youth, youth in foster care, youth who have lower incomes and young people who live in rural areas.

“This bill is a critical first step to ensuring that all young people have the access to high-quality sex education they need and deserve to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.”

— Janet Max

Currently, there is a gap between the access to sex education and sexual health services that young people should be receiving and what they actually receive in the classroom and in their communities. Only 18 states require sex education to be medically accurate, and 35 states require schools to stress abstinence when sex education or HIV/STI instruction is provided.

Get involved this month by telling us why you believe in Sex Ed For All by following and using the hashtag #SexEdForAll on social media. And for professionals wanting to join the celebration, get the Tool Kit with prepared content for sharing—graphics, social media posts, and more.

The legislation introduced today complements the work underway for #SexEdForAll Month by supporting medically accurate and culturally responsive sex education and sexual health care, and it will also help to provide the agency and support young people need to achieve positive outcomes for themselves.

Healthy Teen Network joins the members of the Sex Ed For All Month coalition to urge Congress to pass this legislation, so that all young people—no matter who they are and where they live—receive the information and care they need to achieve their goals and live their lives on their terms.

Get the Tool Kit

PHOTO CREDIT: NeONBRAND on Unsplash

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Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeen on Twitter.

Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications

The post Sexual & Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice Organizations Applaud Introduction of Legislation to Improve the Health & Well-Being of Young People appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Child Trends, Chapin Hall, and Healthy Teen Network Awarded Competitive Grant from Office of Population Affairs

Mariah Cowsert — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 18:47:46 +0000

Activate shares essential research for youth-supporting professionals.

March 22, 2021

For Immediate Release

Child Trends, together with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago and Healthy Teen Network, has been awarded a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs to establish and operate Activate: The Collective to Bring Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Research to Youth-Supporting Professionals. Activate aims to bridge the gap between research and practice, in support of the Office of Population Affairs’ mission to prevent teen pregnancy and promote adolescent health and the development of positive assets and healthy behaviors.

Activate aims to bridge the gap between research and practice

Through this partnership, Activate will translate research to practice by creating resources for use by professionals who support youth involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems (e.g., youth in foster care; youth on probation), youth experiencing homelessness, and opportunity youth (i.e., youth who are disconnected from school and work). These professionals may include health providers, community-based youth practitioners, probation officers, attorneys, educators, workforce development trainers, caseworkers, program and agency administrators, program managers, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Other audiences Activate may engage include young people, parents, and caregivers.

The partnership brings together three uniquely qualified organizations with complementary substantive expertise, as well as shared and distinct track records of conducting research, promoting evidence-based practices, disseminating findings, developing research-to-practice resources, and directing research and technical assistance centers. To guide the work, Activate will form and maintain partnerships with a larger Research Alliance that includes researchers, professionals who work with youth, as well as youth.

Resources that translate research findings and scientific knowledge into guidance for professionals are often lacking or inconsistent. Using a research-based process and human-centered design to prioritize the needs and motivations of various key audiences, Activate will create resources that are timely, accessible, and evidence-based. These resources will be paired with training and support, so professionals build their capacity with skills they need to implement best practices and approaches. Activate resources will make it easier for professionals to use research in their everyday work with young people, with the end goal to support adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

Activate’s first task will be to finalize a needs assessment to guide and prioritize resources to be developed. Researchers, youth-supporting professionals, and other key stakeholders are encouraged to sign up to receive Activate updates and information about new resources.

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Child Trends

Child Trends is the nation’s leading nonprofit research organization focused exclusively on improving the lives and prospects of children, youth, and their families.

Contact: Susan Balding or Joanna McKelvey | 240-223-9279

Chapin Hall

Contact: Marrianne McMullen | 773-256-5190

Healthy Teen Network

Healthy Teen Network is a national nonprofit membership organization that promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations.

Contact: Gina Desiderio | 443-216-1360

PHOTO CREDIT: Alexis Brown on Unsplash

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The post Child Trends, Chapin Hall, and Healthy Teen Network Awarded Competitive Grant from Office of Population Affairs appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

President Biden’s Executive Actions on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Are a Good First Step

Gina Desiderio — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 20:27:57 +0000

Repro Blueprint First Priorities lays out more to do to advance access

January 28, 2021

For Immediate Release

Healthy Teen Network applauds President Biden for taking the first steps to undo the harms of the previous administration’s dangerous and restrictive policies that robbed countless people of the right to control their own bodies and access sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion.

Rescinding the dangerous global gag rule; taking steps to strengthen Medicaid; initiating an open enrollment period; disavowing the Trump administration’s abhorrent anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ Geneva Consensus Declaration, restoring funding to UNFPA for their critical reproductive and maternal health work around the world; and beginning the important process of reviewing the harmful domestic gag rule for the Title X program are important and impactful first steps.

“Young people have a right to quality and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and care. Access is essential for them to make decisions about their bodies and relationships, and about pregnancy and parenting,” explained Janet Max, Healthy Teen Network Interim President and CEO.

As the Biden-Harris Administration works to rebuild from the devastation of the pandemic, the economic crisis, and centuries of systemic racism, it is important to state that sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice cannot be an afterthought.

Access is essential for young people to make decisions about their bodies and relationships, and about pregnancy and parenting.

For women, Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, LGBTQ+ people, young people, and people with low incomes, bodily autonomy and access to health care is the foundation of a better future. It’s how they build families, careers, and communities.

That’s why the Biden-Harris Administration and a pro-reproductive health care majority in Congress must implement the Blueprint for Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice, a comprehensive and proactive policy agenda endorsed by more than 100 bold, progressive organizations. Healthy Teen Network is proud to join these organizations in endorsing the Blueprint.

The Repro Blueprint includes First Priorities, a detailed punch list of executive actions to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice for people in the U.S. and around the world. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action on several of the First Priorities.

The Repro Blueprint is co-convened by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

“We continue to celebrate the historical significance of the Biden-Harris administration and look forward to taking bold steps to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice for women and femmes. For Black women our fight is not just about the right to abortion care, but also about overcoming the barriers that prevent us from accessing that care,” said Marcela Howell, president & CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda. “Reproductive Justice demands an intersectional approach that fully addresses the right to control our bodies, our sexuality, our gender, our work and our reproduction.”

“Today, we celebrate one of the initial steps on the path towards reclaiming full ownership over our bodies, our health, and our futures. As we continue to face down a pandemic that has claimed the lives of so many, it is more clear than ever why people need access to affordable health care, and why science—not politics—should guide policymaking, said Alexis McGill Johnson, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

“For sure, there is far more work to be done to ensure everyone has the freedom to make their own health care decisions — ending medically unecessary restrictions on medication abortion to championing permanent repeal of the global gag rule and an end to the racist Hyde and Helms amendments. We look forward to working alongside the administration and the pro-reproductive health care majority in Congress to protect and boldly expand sexual and reproductive health care and rights for all people in the U.S. and across the globe.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Tabrez Syed on Unsplash

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Child Trends

Child Trends is the nation’s leading nonprofit research organization focused exclusively on improving the lives and prospects of children, youth, and their families.

Chapin Hall

Chapin Hall is an independent policy research center at the University of Chicago that provides public and private decision-makers with rigorous research and achievable solutions to support them in improving the lives of children, families, and communities. Chapin Hall partners with policymakers, practitioners, and philanthropists at the forefront of research and policy development by applying a unique blend of scientific research, real-world experience, and policy expertise to construct actionable information, practical tools, and, ultimately, positive change for children, youth, and families. Established in 1985, Chapin Hall’s areas of research include child welfare systems, community capacity to support children and families, and youth homelessness.

Healthy Teen Network

Healthy Teen Network promotes better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Healthy Teen Network is a membership organization nationally recognized for its quality training and technical assistance, integration of evidence-informed and best practices with innovative strategies, and translation of complex research to accessible resources and tools to support professionals.

Follow @HealthyTeen on Twitter.

Contact: Gina Desiderio, Director of Communications

The post President Biden’s Executive Actions on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Are a Good First Step appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.