LSS SELF provides youth ages 10-19 with abstinence-based sexual health risk avoidance education, leading to decreased rates of unplanned pregnancy and STIs, and prevention of unhealthy relationships. - Program Goal: The LSS Seeing and Exploring Life’s Future (SELF) SRAE Program will provide a minimum of 1,000 youth per year with abstinence-based sexual health risk avoidance education, leading to decreased rates of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and sexual violence, an understanding of trafficking and its prevention, and avoidance of unhealthy relationships. Youth will be encouraged to avoid nonmarital sexual activity and other risky behaviors, such as alcohol and drug use, and develop and utilize skills needed to optimize their futures. SELF has been providing education on healthy development and sexual risk avoidance since 1985. Needs Being Addressed: Despite recent declines in teen pregnancy rates, significant gaps in sexual health education persist across Minnesota, particularly in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, where teen pregnancy rates remain elevated and rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea are among the highest in the state. The lack of statewide sexual health education standards, combined with limited school-based instruction and a shortage of community providers offering sexual risk avoidance education, leaves many youth without consistent access to information and skills needed to prevent unintended pregnancy and STIs. The need is further underscored by Minnesota Student Survey data showing that many adolescents engage in risky behaviors. Proposed Services: LSS has been a FYSB SRAE grantee since 2019. Services include: • Provide group education to youth in school, after school, and community-based settings around adolescent sexual health and abstinence-based education. • Provide group education to parent(s)/caregiver(s) and other caring adults to help them improve their communication with youth around adolescent sexual health. • Deliver one-on-one sexual health education for youth and parents/caregivers of youth who may be missed by other interventions or in need of more intensive and personalized services due to the barriers experienced. SELF estimates serving 1,000 middle school and high school students per year, for a total of 3,000 over the three-year project period. We also anticipate serving a total of 200 unduplicated adults (parents/ caregivers/ professionals) per year, for a total of 600 over the three-year project period. Population to be Served: The target population is youth ages 10 to 19. Other characteristics include youth in areas of high geographic need or who are low-income, court-involved, in foster care, or homeless/highly mobile. We will provide services to youth in three different communities (school, after school, and community based) and to adults from two populations: 1) parents/caregivers of youth in the target population, and 2) professionals who work with these youth in another capacity. The primary geographic area to be served is Hennepin and Ramsey counties, with services available to the entire seven-county metro area. The SELF team may provide one-to-one or parent/caregiver/professional education throughout the state, as requested by providers and families.
