Alabama school system joins national teen pregnancy prevention campaign

As part of the nationwide initiative to prevent the growing number of teen pregnancies, the Macon County school district will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Human Services. The grant will help the Alabama-based schools become part of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, according to The Tuskege News.

Last month, the federal branch contributed $100 million to the program, and this funding was divided among 75 nonprofit organizations, school districts, colleges, universities and a total of 33 states.

Macon County students aged 11 to 18 will be enrolled in the program, and will learn about how to avoid risky behavior as well as the consequences of unprotected sex, such as unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In addition to this offering, institutes that participate in the campaign will be able to access STD screening centers and family planning programs, the news source reports.

"Teen pregnancy is a serious national problem, and we need to use the best science of what works to address it," said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary at the human services department. She added that "this investment will help bring evidence-based initiatives to more communities across the country."

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control reports that some 19 million new STD infections are diagnosed in the U.S., and almost half of them are among people aged 15 to 24.