
By Staff Writer
The Guttmacher Institute reports that the U.S. has the highest levels of teen pregnancy among developed nations. In order to curtail this issue, many local governments are launching preventive programs. For example, the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative in New York is aiming to make more information about reproductive health and pregnancy available online, the Watertown Daily Times reports.
The organization was given a $125,000 grant from the state in order to fund the new initiative. Kellie J. Hitchman, youth services director, said that by placing all the information online, it is available to a wider range of people who can have access whenever they want, according to the news source.
The program, which is called Teens Helping Each Other With Life's Problems (HELP), was created to educate parents and teachers as well as teens. The website will feature resources that are designed to help parents be more comfortable talking to their children about sex.
Hitchman added that 25.9 percent of all births in St. Lawrence County are to teen mothers, which is higher than the state rate of 25.1 percent, reports the media outlet.