Abstinence Education Program

South Dakota's Abstinence Education Program contracts with agencies that deliver abstinence education, mentoring, counseling and adult supervision to promote abstinence from sexual activity. The goal is to reduce teen pregnancies and to reduce the physical and psychological health risks that accompany early sexual activity.

• Programs currently funded

Purpose
Federal funds are utilized from the Abstinence Education Grant to fund local projects that provide abstinence only education. The majority of projects use a broad based youth development approach to teach abstinence

Focal Population
The focal populations of this program are adolescent and/or adults ranging in age from 12 through 29 years old.

Funding
The program is funded through a federal Title V Abstinence Education Grant, administered by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau.The South Dakota Department of Health partners with agencies through contracts which typically run from June 1 through May 31. A request for proposals is issued to solicit applications for abstinence education.

Funding priorities for the federal grant include:

• Supporting and enhancing existing abstinence education programs in the state
• Assuring the availability of appropriate abstinence education curricula for schools and programs that may choose this component
• Enhancing and encouraging parental involvement in local abstinence programs

Related Links

• National Abstinence Clearinghouse — www.abstinence.net/
• National Abstinence Clearinghouse — www.truth4youth.com/index_flash.php
• South Dakota Youth Risk Behavior Survey — doe.sd.gov/oess/schoolhealth/yrbs/

For more information about South Dakota’s Abstinence Education Program, call 605-773-3737 or e-mail.