At a glance
CDC supports efforts to improve reproductive health outcomes for teens. Efforts include implementing evidence-based approaches to increase access to quality health care.
Quality and access for reproductive health equity for teens
Access to quality reproductive health services, including contraception and sexually transmitted infection services, plays an important role in supporting adolescent health. CDC's Division of Reproductive Health supports the Quality and Access for Reproductive Health Equity (QARE, pronounced "care") for Teens project. This project is led by the National Association of Community Health Centers, along with Cicatelli Associates (CAI). It aims to improve best practices in health center services and increase access to those services.
Teen access and quality initiative
From 2015 to 2020, CDC supported three organizations to (1) enhance publicly funded health centers’ capacity to provide youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services and (2) increase the number of young people accessing sexual and reproductive health services. The Teen Access and Quality Initiative: Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health Best Practices in Publicly Funded Health Centers provides more information on this project.
Community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiatives
From 2010 to 2015, CDC, the federal Office of Adolescent Health, and the Office of Population Affairs collaborated to demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative, multicomponent, community-wide initiatives in reducing rates of teen pregnancy and births in communities with the highest rates, with a focus on reaching African American and Latino or Hispanic young people aged 15–19 years.
Engaging young men
Despite the important role adolescent and young adult men play in preventing teen pregnancy, few evidence-based interventions are specifically designed for young men. In partnership with the HHS Office of Adolescent Health, CDC supported three research projects designed for young men aged 15–24 years old. These projects focused on implementing and evaluating innovative interventions to reduce teen pregnancies.