Task force aims to bring new sex ed to county

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force is hoping to bring evidence-based sex education curriculum to Hill County public middle schools.

Jessica Kennedy, public health nurse with Hill County Family Planning and member of the task force, said the grant they are seeking to utilize is titled, “Replicating Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs to Scale in Communities with the Greatest Need (Tier 1B).”

Kennedy said the state asked her group at Family Planning to get involved and that the grant aims to focus on Big Horn County, Roosevelt County, Lake County and Hill County.

“Hill County’s teen birth rate is 62.4 per 1,000,” she said. “The national average is 26.6 per 1,000.”

Kennedy said the grant is due by April 1 and the curriculum that is being looked into is titled, “Making Proud Choices.”

“They’re not only teaching teen pregnancy prevention. It has to do with healthy choices, personal health, boundaries … .” she said. “I think that doing something evidence-based, you know that it works.”

Kennedy added that “Making Proud Choices” is middle-school based.

“We’re hoping (to teach at) Havre Middle School, Rocky Boy and Box Elder,” she said.

For more information, call Kennedy at 265-5481 ext. 269.