Adolescents face difficult decisions daily regarding their health and sexuality. Teens are in need of scientifically and medically accurate information regarding contraception, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), HIV/AIDS, healthy relationships, gay lesbian bisexual transgender and questioning (GLBTQ) topics in order to make the best possible decisions for themselves. Comprehensive sexual health education covers a variety of issues relating to teen sexual health, and helps teens make healthy decisions regarding their health and behavior. The resources below are intended to help providers use best practices and find ways to address the needs of all youth.

Data and Research on Adolescent Sexual Health:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The Center for Disease Control offers information about youth sexual health and behaviors, with facts about STI’s, HIV, teen pregnancy, contraception, and effective, science-based education strategies.

Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention (COAPPP): The State of Adolescent Sexual Health in Colorado Report: This annual report put out by COAPPP describes data and trends in adolescent sexual heath across the state. Included in the report are statistics for Colorado and the US on teen births, HIV/STIs, sexual behavior, health disparities and recommendations. This brief report provides insight and a starting place for some critical basic information regarding teen pregnancy. 
 
Child Trends: Child Trends examines sexual activity, contraceptive use, and fertility, focusing particularly on teens and young adults, to help program providers and policy makers develop strategies for preventing unintended pregnancies, nonmarital births, and sexually transmitted infections. Child Trends contains information and links to various research reports, speeches and presentations, facts sheets/fast facts, and other publications on teen sexual health.

American Psychological Association (APA): Adolescent Sexual Health Decision-Making: The APA provide an overview of a psychological research conducted, which shows that parents and/or guardians play a vital role in youth sexual health education. Many youth say they go to their parents for advice concerning pregnancy and contraception. The APA maintains a database of research articles on a variety of issues; including adolescent sexual health research.

Recommended Strategies:
Insights from Oregon’s Youth Sexual Health Plan: The Oregon Youth Sexual Health Plan is an example of one of a few a state health plans that prioritizes effective, meaningful strategies to improve the reproductive and sexual health of teens. It offers insights and examples, which other states could use as models to improve their health curriculums. The plan demonstrates that quality sexual health education serves as a key aspect to helping develop healthy youth and communities.

Youth Adult Partnerships: Advocates for Youth offers a variety of publications and information on youth adult partnerships from a variety of perspectives. Tools and tips are provided for how to have a successful and effective youth adult partnership.

Effective, Science-based Teen Pregnancy and STI/HIV Prevention Programs: Emerging Answers, 2007 (published by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy) provides an in depth look of information regarding research on programs that have been proven, through rigorous research to change sexual risk-taking behavior. Included in this report is a list of a variety of programs that have been proven to positively impact adolescent behavior over time.

Additional Resources:
Sex, Etc.: Sex, Etc. is a website and magazine written by high school students in the New Jersey/New York area addressing teen sexual health topics. It is published through Rutgers University and provides a look at sexual health through teens’ perspectives. 
 
Healthy Teen Network: In addition to providing resources on teen pregnancy and HIV prevention, the Healthy Teen Network works to support teen parents and families to help them lead healthy lives. This provides an introduction to some overall topics of teen sexual health, research and effective adolescent sexual health programs. 
 
The National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO): NACCHO offers additional resources on adolescent sexual health topics, including information on teen parenting, sexual activity, STI and HIV/AIDS prevention, reproductive health, contraceptive use, and more.
 

Related Colorado Programs:
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Division of Family Planning offers information about family planning services provided by the state. It provides complete, accurate information on adolescent sexual health data as well as strategies for supporting healthy families and youth. 
 
The Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention (COAPPP) assists and works with organizations, schools and communities to promote healthy sexual and reproductive development of all teens and advance the well-being of parenting teens. Through training, technical assistance, public education, and advocacy, COAPPP works to promote research and science-based programs and strategies to improve the health and well being of teens.