Communities of Color Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants for programs to provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and skills needed to avoid teenage pregnancy and develop healthy relationships.
Allows up to 10% of amounts made available for this Act to be allotted for a rigorous, independent evaluation of grant activities.
Requires the Secretary to award grants for multimedia campaigns to provide public education and increase public awareness regarding teenage pregnancy and related social and emotional issues.
Requires the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make grants for research on teenage pregnancy, dating violence, and healthy relationships among racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.
Requires the Secretary to direct the interagency adolescent health workgroup within the Office of Adolescent Health to include in the work of the group strategies for teenage dating violence prevention and healthy teenage relationships, with a particular focus among racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities, in consultation with the Federal Interagency Workgroup on Teen Dating Violence in the Department of Justice (DOJ).
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2678 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2678
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to carry out programs to provide youth in
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and
skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 28, 2011
Ms. Roybal-Allard (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Lee of
California, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Maloney, and Ms. Bass of California)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to carry out programs to provide youth in
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the information and
skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Communities of Color Teenage
Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Teenage pregnancy is one of the most critical issues
facing the Nation today. The United States has the highest
teenage pregnancy rate of any developed nation, with nearly
750,000 teenage girls (who are 15 to 19 years of age) becoming
pregnant each year, and 82 percent of those pregnancies
unplanned.
(2) For the first time in more than a decade, between 2005
and 2006, the teenage pregnancy rate in the United States rose
3 percent. The decrease in teenage pregnancy rates in the 1990s
was overwhelmingly the result of more and better use of
contraceptives.
(3) Nationally, teenage pregnancy has significant fiscal
implications, costing taxpayers at least $10,900,000,000
annually.
(4) Communities of color are disproportionately affected by
teenage pregnancy. Fifty-two percent of Latinas and 50 percent
of African-American girls will become pregnant at least once
before they turn 20. In comparison, only 19 percent of non-
Hispanic White teenage girls under the age of 20 become
pregnant.
(5) Between 2007 and 2009, the teenage birth rate decreased
for most communities of color, however the birth rates for
Hispanic, African-American, and Native American teenagers
continue to be much higher than other racial and ethnic groups.
(6) Research shows that starting a family too soon may have
significant social, educational, and financial impacts on the
lives of young people. Less than half of teenage mothers finish
high school and less than 2 percent go on to finish college,
making it difficult to find and maintain a job.
(7) Research also shows that teenage dating violence and
abuse are serious public health problems and are associated
with higher levels of teenage pregnancy and unplanned
pregnancy. Adolescent girls in physically abusive relationships
are three times more likely to become pregnant than non-abused
girls.
(8) Promoting and building healthy relationships are
fundamental to preventing teenage pregnancies and unplanned
pregnancies.
SEC. 3. YOUTH PREGNANCY PREVENTION.
Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following new part:
``PART W--YOUTH PREGNANCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS
``SEC. 399OO. PURPOSE.
``It is the purpose of this part to develop and carry out research
and demonstration projects on new and existing program interventions to
provide youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the
information and skills needed to reduce teenage pregnancies, build
healthy relationships, and improve overall health and well-being.
``SEC. 399OO-1. DEMONSTRATION GRANTS TO REDUCE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award competitive grants to
eligible entities for establishing or expanding programs to provide
youth in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities the
information and skills needed to avoid teenage pregnancy and develop
healthy relationships.
``(b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to applicants--
``(1) proposing to carry out projects in racial or ethnic
minority or immigrant communities;
``(2) that have a demonstrated history of effectively
working with such targeted communities; or
``(3) that have a demonstrated history of engaging in a
meaningful and significant partnership with such targeted
communities.
``(c) Program Settings.--Programs funded through a grant under
subsection (a) shall be provided--
``(1) through classroom-based settings, such as school
health education, humanities, language arts, or family and
consumer science education; after-school programs; community-
based programs; workforce development programs; and health care
settings; or
``(2) in collaboration with systems that serve large
numbers of at-risk youth such as juvenile justice or foster
care systems.
``(d) Project Requirements.--As a condition of receipt of a grant
under this section, an entity shall agree that, with respect to
information and skills provided through the grant--
``(1) such information and skills will be--
``(A) age-appropriate;
``(B) evidence-based or evidence-informed;
``(C) provided in accordance with section 399OO-
5(b); and
``(D) culturally sensitive and relevant to the
target populations; and
``(2) any information provided about contraceptives shall
include the health benefits and side effects of all
contraceptives and barrier methods.
``(e) Evaluation.--Of the total amount made available to carry out
this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other
agencies as appropriate, shall allot up to 10 percent of such amount to
carry out a rigorous, independent evaluation to determine the extent
and the effectiveness of activities funded through this section during
such fiscal year in changing attitudes and behavior of teenagers with
respect to healthy relationships and childbearing.
``(f) Grants for Indian Tribes or Tribal Organizations.--Of the
total amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal
year, the Secretary shall reserve 5 percent of such amount to award
grants under this section to Indian tribes and tribal organizations in
such manner, and subject to such requirements, as the Secretary, in
consultation with Indian tribes and tribal organizations, determines
appropriate.
``(g) Eligible Entity Defined.--
``(1) In general.--In this section, the term `eligible
entity' means a State, local, or tribal agency; a school or
postsecondary institution; an after-school program; a nonprofit
organization; or a community or faith-based organization.
``(2) Preventing exclusion of smaller community-based
organizations.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary
shall ensure that the amounts and requirements of grants
provided under this section do not preclude receipt of such
grants by community-based organizations with a demonstrated
history of effectively working with adolescents in racial or
ethnic minority or immigrant communities or engaged in
meaningful and significant partnership with such communities.
``SEC. 399OO-2. MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO REDUCE TEENAGE PREGNANCIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award competitive grants to
public and private entities to carry out multimedia campaigns to
provide public education and increase public awareness regarding
teenage pregnancy and related social and emotional issues, such as
violence prevention.
``(b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to applicants proposing to carry out
campaigns developed for racial or ethnic minority or immigrant
communities.
``(c) Information To Be Provided.--As a condition of receipt of a
grant under this section, an entity shall agree to use the grant to
carry out multimedia campaigns described in subsection (a) that--
``(1) at a minimum, shall provide information on--
``(A) the prevention of teenage pregnancy; and
``(B) healthy relationship development; and
``(2) may provide information on the prevention of dating
violence.
``SEC. 399OO-3. RESEARCH ON REDUCING TEENAGE PREGNANCIES AND TEENAGE
DATING VIOLENCE AND IMPROVING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make grants to
public and private entities to conduct, support, or coordinate research
on teenage pregnancy, dating violence, and healthy relationships among
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities that--
``(1) improves data collection on--
``(A) sexual and reproductive health, including
teenage pregnancies and births, among all minority
communities and subpopulations in which such data are
not collected, including American Indian and Alaska
Native youth;
``(B) sexual behavior, sexual or reproductive
coercion, and teenage contraceptive use patterns at the
State level, as appropriate; and
``(C) teenage pregnancies among youth in and aging
out of foster care or juvenile justice systems and the
underlying factors that lead to teenage pregnancy among
youth in foster care or juvenile justice systems;
``(2) investigates--
``(A) the variance in the rates of teenage
pregnancy by--
``(i) racial and ethnic group (such as
Hispanic, Asian, African-American, Pacific
Islander, American Indian, and Alaskan Native);
and
``(ii) socioeconomic status, including as
based on the income of the family and education
attainment;
``(B) factors affecting the risk for youth of
teenage pregnancy or dating abuse, including the
physical and social environment, level of
acculturation, access to health care, aspirations for
the future, and history of physical or sexual violence
or abuse;
``(C) the role that violence and abuse play in
teenage sex, pregnancy, and childbearing;
``(D) strategies to address the disproportionate
rates of teenage pregnancies and dating violence in
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities;
``(E) how effective interventions can be replicated
or adapted in other settings to serve racial or ethnic
minority or immigrant communities; and
``(F) the effectiveness of media campaigns in
addressing healthy relationship development, dating
violence prevention, and teenage pregnancy; and
``(3) tests research-based strategies for addressing high
rates of unintended teenage pregnancy through programs that
emphasize healthy relationships and violence prevention.
``(b) Priority.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall
give priority to research that incorporates--
``(1) interdisciplinary approaches;
``(2) a strong emphasis on community-based participatory
research; or
``(3) translational research.
``SEC. 399OO-4. HHS ADOLESCENT HEALTH WORK GROUP.
``(a) Purpose.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the
enactment of this part, the Secretary shall direct the interagency
adolescent health workgroup within the Office of Adolescent Health of
the Department of Health and Human Services to--
``(1) include in the work of the group strategies for
teenage dating violence prevention and healthy teenage
relationships with a particular focus among racial or ethnic
minority or immigrant communities; and
``(2) with respect to including such strategies, consult,
to the greatest extent possible, with the Federal Interagency
Workgroup on Teen Dating Violence formed under the leadership
of the National Institute of Justice of the Department of
Justice.
``(b) Report Requirement.--The Secretary, through the Office of
Adolescent Health, shall periodically submit to Congress a report
that--
``(1) includes a review of the evidence-based programs on
preventing teenage pregnancy, which are carried out and
identified by the Office; and
``(2) identifies the programs of the Department of Health
and Human Services that include teenage dating violence
prevention and the promotion of healthy teenage relationships
as part of a strategy to prevent teenage pregnancy.
``SEC. 399OO-5. GENERAL GRANT PROVISIONS.
``(a) Applications.--To seek a grant under this part, an entity
shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, in such
manner, and containing such agreements, assurances, and information as
the Secretary may require.
``(b) Additional Requirements.--A grant may be made under this part
only if the applicant involved agrees that information, activities, and
services provided under the grant--
``(1) will be evidence-based or evidence informed;
``(2) will be factually and medically accurate and
complete; and
``(3) if directed to a particular population group, will be
provided in an appropriate language and cultural context.
``(c) Training and Technical Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--Of the total amount made available to
carry out this part for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall use
10 percent to provide, directly or through a competitive grant
process, training and technical assistance to the grant
recipients under this part, including by disseminating research
and information regarding effective and promising practices,
providing consultation and resources on a broad array of
teenage and unintended pregnancy and violence prevention
strategies, and developing resources and materials.
``(2) Collaboration.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall collaborate with entities that have expertise
in the prevention of teenage pregnancy, healthy relationship
development, minority health and health disparities, and
violence prevention.
``SEC. 399OO-6. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) Medically accurate and complete.--The term `medically
accurate and complete' means, with respect to information,
activities, or services, verified or supported by the weight of
research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific
methods and--
``(A) published in peer-reviewed journals, where
applicable; or
``(B) comprising information that leading
professional organizations and agencies with relevant
expertise in the field recognize as accurate,
objective, and complete.
``(2) Racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities.--
The term `racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities'
means communities with a substantial number of residents who
are members of racial or ethnic minority groups or who are
immigrants.
``(3) Reproductive coercion.--The term `reproductive
coercion' means, with respect to a person, coercive behavior
that interferes with the ability of such person to control the
reproductive decisionmaking of such person, such as
intentionally exposing such person to sexually transmitted
infections; in the case such person is a female, attempting to
impregnate such person against her will; intentionally
interfering with the person's birth control; or threatening or
acting violent if the person does not comply with the
perpetrator's wishes regarding contraception or the decision
whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy.
``(4) Youth.--The term `youth' means individuals who are 11
to 19 years of age.
``SEC. 399OO-7. REPORTS.
``(a) Report on Use of Funds.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this part, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report on the use of funds provided pursuant to this part.
``(b) Report on Impact of Programs.--Not later than March 1, 2016,
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the impact that the
programs under this part had on reducing teenage pregnancies.
``SEC. 399OO-8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this part such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal
years 2012 through 2016.
``(b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection
(a)--
``(1) are authorized to remain available until expended;
and
``(2) are in addition to amounts otherwise made available
for such purposes.''.
<all>
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5583-5584)
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line