Planned Parenthood of Northern New York

Rural Jefferson County in northern New York has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the State.

Researchers at the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and others have shown a connection between risky sexual activity and teens’ use of drugs or alcohol. Planned Parenthood of Northern New York, the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Council of Jefferson County, and Credo Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions formed a coalition to create a campaign to raise awareness of the interrelationship of substance abuse and unprotected sex.

A recent study by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that students who drink are two times more likely to be sexually active than those who do not, and Jefferson County includes two towns ranked first and fifth nationwide for the highest teen pregnancy rates in America.

This grant to Planned Parenthood of Northern New York supported the development and implementation of a community intervention model to reduce unprotected sexual activity linked to substance abuse.

Major project activities included: (1) development and dissemination of appropriate media outreach aimed at teens through young adults; and (2) a formal assessment and referral process to facilitate access for their clients into each other’s screening and/or treatment services.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New York’s mission is to provide accessible, affordable, and confidential reproductive health care services in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.