Sexuality Education - Organizations

Annotation: Advocates for Youth is dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates provides information, training, and strategic assistance to youth-serving organizations, policy makers, youth activists, and the media in the United States and the developing world. Advocates publishes newsletters, as well as provider- and consumer-oriented publications on adolescent reproductive health. A publications catalog is available. Some materials are available in French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, Adolescents, Decision making skills, Information sources, Life skills, Peer education, Programs, Publications, Reproductive health, Sexual behavior, Sexuality education, Spanish language materials, Women

Annotation: The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities, with a focus on sexual health and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Through education, research, and public policy the association produces multifaceted programs addressing the most prevalent STDs. ASHA produces a variety of books, pamphlets, information packets, and other educational materials for patients, health providers, parents, teachers, and organizations.

Keywords: Sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, Herpes genitalis, Hotlines, Human papillomavirus, Immunization, Prevention programs, Public health, Public policy, Sexual health

Annotation: Answer at Rutgers University, formerly the Network for Family Life Education, specializes in training adults to deliver effective sexuality-education programs to children and youth. It provides resources, advocacy, training and technical assistance in support of age-appropriate, balanced, comprehensive sexuality education. Answer's Web site, Sex, Etc., is about teens for teens, and covers girls' health; guys' health; sex; love and relationships; gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex youth; deciding about sex; birth control and condoms; sexually transmitted diseases; pregnancy; teen parenting; abortion; adoption; emotional health; abuse and violence; body image; and alcohol and drugs.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy prevention, Sexuality education

Annotation: The Children's Aid Society (CAS) Carrera Adolescent Sexuality and Pregnancy Prevention Program (developed under the direction of the Bernice and Milton Stern National Adolescent Sexuality Training Center) serves as a primary pregnancy prevention model that uses a holistic aproach to help adolescents develop personal goals while increasing their sexual literacy and knowledge about the consequences of sexual activity. The program, which has been replicated across in states across the country, emphasizes the importance of education and employment. The Web site provides links to additional resources on sexuality education and adolescentr pregnancy prevention.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy, Family relations, Parent education, Sexuality education

Annotation: The Future of Sex Education Project (FoSE) began in July 2007 when staff from Advocates for Youth, Answer and SIECUS first met to discuss the future of sex education in the United States. At the time, each organization was looking ahead to the possibility of a future without federal abstinence-only-until-marriage funding and simultaneously found themselves exploring the question of how best to advance comprehensive sexuality education in schools. In May of 2008, Advocates, Answer and SIECUS formalized these discussions with funding from the Ford, George Gund and Grove Foundations, and the FoSE Project was launched.

Keywords: Adolescents, Children, Family life education, Psychosexual development, Sexual behavior, Sexual development, Sexuality education

Annotation: The Medical Institute for Sexual Health is a nonprofit organization that identifies, evaluates and communicates scientific information to promote healthy sexual decisions and behavior to medical professionals, educators, government officials, parents, and the media. It provides an electronic newsletter, an annual conference, and medical e-mail advisories that highlight recent research. It also publishes brochures, videos, reports, national guidelines for sexuality and character education, and a comparison of abstinence vs. safer sex sexuality education. Spanish-language brochures are available.

Keywords: Abstinence, Disease prevention, Sexuality education, Sexually transmitted diseases

Annotation: The National Coalition to Support Sexuality Education (NCSSE) consists of over 140 national organizations committed to medically accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education for all children and youth in the United States. NCSSE hosts meetings on key issues in sexuality education; supports member organizations in advocating for comprehensive sexuality education policies and programs at the state and national level; and provides a forum for networking, resource sharing, and collaboration among national organizations supporting comprehensive sexuality education. An extensive listing of curricula and other resources is available on the Web site; topics include sexuality education resources and curricula, abstinence-only curricula, HIV and AIDS curricula, guidelines for sexuality education programs, resources for families, and resources for faith-based organizations.

Keywords: Sexuality, Advocacy, Coalitions, Collaboration , Health promotion, Information dissemination, Reproductive health, Sexuality education

Annotation: The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is dedicated to the principle that every person has the fundamental right to choose whether or when to have children. The federation works to ensure access to sexuality education and family planning services. Planned Parenthood health centers offer sexual and reproductive health care, including family planning, gynecological care, STI/STD testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, and abortion services. Its Web site offers information on birth control, emergency contraception, abortion, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and diseases, gynecological exams, teens, and sexuality. The website provides an A-to-Z guide to health information and services, which can be viewed in English or Spanish.

Keywords: Family planning, Abortion, Adolescent pregnancy, Advocacy, Contraception, Health education, Internet, Online databases, Public awareness materials, Publications, Reproductive health, Reproductive rights, Sexuality education, Spanish language materials

Annotation: The Religious Institute develops and supports a network of clergy, religious educators, theologians, theological ethicists, and other religious leaders committed to promoting sexual justice in the faith community and society. It promotes the goals and vision of the Religious Declaration. It is an ecumenical, interfaith organization dedicated to advocating for sexual health, education and justice in faith communities and society. The institute works to build the capacity of religious institutions and clergy to offer sexuality education within the context of their own faith traditions and to advocate for sexual rights. It also strives to help congregations become sexually healthy faith communities and to educate the public and policy makers about sexual justice issues. Areas of focus include reproductive justice; inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender people; abuse prevention; religious leader preparation; and international issues. The Institute provides technical assistance to faith communities and sexual and reproductive health organizations and publishes a newsletter, research reports, congressional guidebooks, and books for general audiences on sexual justice issues.

Keywords: Moral values, Civil rights, Clergy, Ethics, Marriage, Religion, Religious organizations, Reproductive rights, Sexuality, Sexuality education

Annotation: The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) is a nonprofit organization that develops, collects, and disseminates information, promotes comprehensive education about sexuality, and advocates the right of individuals to make responsible sexual choices. SIECUS offers a community action kit for advocates and maintains a SexEd online library that provides resources and tools for educators who teach about sexuality. Lessons, curricula, research, and professional development opportunities are among the library's offerings. The council also produces a wide variety of resources for parents, teenagers, policymakers, healthcare providers ,and others in its efforts to ensure that everyone has access to accurate and up-to-date information about sexuality.

Keywords: Sexuality, Advocacy, Health promotion, Information dissemination, Reproductive health, Sexuality education

Annotation: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is an international source of funding for population and reproductive health programs that help women, men and young people plan their families and avoid unwanted pregnancies, undergo pregnancy and childbirth safely, avoid sexually transmitted infections(STIs), including HIV/AIDS, and combat violence against women. UNFPA also helps governments in the world's poorest countries and in other countries in need, to formulate population policies and strategies in support of sustainable development. UNFPA publications, exploring topics such as reproductive health, maternal mortality, gender equality and population and development strategies, can be downloaded from the Web site.

Keywords: Population dynamics, International health, Maternal health, AIDS, Funding, Gender discrimination, Health promotion, International development, Maternal mortality, Prevention, Preventive health services, Reproductive health, Sexuality education, advocacy