Be Healthy, Be Safe, Be You! Campaign Launches

Source

Planned Parenthood Arizona, Inc.

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PHOENIX –In August, Planned Parenthood Arizona launches its multi-month Be Healthy, Be Safe, Be You campaign with free consultation visits for 300 new patients. 

The multi-month campaign strives to help young people, with the support of the adults in their lives, make healthy and safe decisions when it comes to their sexual health. To make this possible, the cost of an expert consultation with a health care provider is being waived for new patients – a $50 savings. The only cost is the first three packs of pills. 

The one-on-one consultation gives a young person the opportunity to ask questions about different birth control methods with an expert provider, while also considering health history and personal preferences. 

“We hope this campaign gives parents a great reason to start an ongoing conversation with their teens about their family values around sex, sexuality and relationships,” says Annet Ruiter, Vice President of External Affairs at Planned Parenthood Arizona. “As a parent, I know it is a difficult discussion to have, but if teens don’t get accurate and healthy information about sexuality from their parents, they will seek it out online or through friends.” 

Polling shows that teens want more information than they currently get when it comes to birth control and sexually transmitted infections, and they want to hear it from the adults on whom they rely. 

Trusted adults and parents can and need to support the young people in their lives:

-       Fifty-nine percent of high school seniors reporting they have had sexual intercourse in the past three months

-       Fifty-five percent of students who had sexual intercourse in the past three months used a condom. 

While teen pregnancy rates are declining, Arizona teens are still more likely to become pregnant than most teens across the nation. Arizona is ranked 18^th among states for teen pregnancy. According to statistics from the Arizona Department of Health Services, young people ages 15 to 24, accounted for 66 percent of all diagnosed STIs in 2012. One-third of all diagnosed STIs were young people, age 15 to 19. 

“STIs and pregnancy are preventable. Giving young people the tools they need to make good decisions enables them to have bright, healthy futures,” adds Ruiter.

More information about the campaign, resources for parents and teens to start the dialogue around sexual health and relationships, and details about the special August pricing can be found online at www.ppaz.org. 

To find information about the three Parent Workshops being held in August, click here. 

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In the community for 80 years, Planned Parenthood Arizona is the leading sexual health organization in Arizona. The organization provides health care, education and outreach services to more than 90,000 men, women, teens and parents annually. Planned Parenthood Arizona operates health center locations statewide. For more information, please visit www.ppaz.org.

Find is on Facebook at PlannedParenthoodAZ or Twitter at @pparizona.

Published

August 05, 2014