Youth will make healthy choices and become resilient and successful adults. Newborns, infants and toddlers will thrive.

• Pregnancy rate/1000 females ages 15-19 years (Chart).
• Birth rate/1000 females ages 15-19 years (Chart).

• % 3rd grade reading scores severely below average (Chart).
• % High school seniors planning a 13th year of school (Chart).
• % Youth involved in after school activities.
• % Youth who feel connected to school and community.
• % Teens consuming alcohol in last 30 days.
• % Low birth weight babies (Chart).
• Child abuse confirmed rate (Chart).

• Teen pregnancy is and has been culturally common in North Hawaii and Hawaii County.
• Teens often attempt to find unconditional love through risky behavior.
• High risk behaviors are often linked to poor reading skills in elementary grades and linked to youth perception of limited future options.
• Influence of peer pressure and media messages.
• Inadequate alternative constructive youth activities.
• Lack of understanding of conception and contraception among teens.
• Lack of access to birth control and primary care resources.
• Lack of access to emergency contraception.
• Areas of the Big Island with the highest rates of child abuse are also the areas with the highest rates of teen births and lowest rates of adequate prenatal care.

• Primary Prevention

  • Early identification and effective management of students with poor reading skills.
  • Youth development through families, schools, and communities to support youth skill building, assets and hope for the future.
  • Effective parent child communication in general, and about sex in particular.

  Develop Effective Programs

  • Expand peer driven programs to promote informed choice, improved self-reliance and belief in ability to create own future.
  • Age appropriate health and teen pregnancy prevention and sexually transmitted disease prevention school curriculum incorporating "best practices" including life skills, role play and peer education.
  • Combined abstinence, and access to free or low-cost birth control and emergency contraception.

  Secondary Prevention

  • Support of pregnant teens AND programs that encourage delay of parenthood, completion of high school and avoid repeat pregnancies.

• Puberty and life skills classes are being taught at three North Hawaii elementary schools.
• Pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention classes are being taught at seven North Hawaii intermediate schools.
• Pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention classes are being taught at two out-patient drug rehab facilities.
• Doc Hill grant and Hawaii State Department of Health contract to continue Kahua Program of evidence-based school curriculum using CDC curriculum for teen pregnancy prevention programs through Hamakua Health Center.
• Parent education on “Talking about Sex with Kids” Hamakua Health Center, Kahua Program.
• Local teen theater production through a sexually transmitted disease prevention grant to the Kahua Project.
• Malama A Ho‘opili Pono, with Family Support Services of West Hawaii, provide outreach and prenatal support services.
• Columbia University Pregnancy STD/ HIV Prevention Grant to North Hawaii Women & Children Services.
• Family Support Services of West Hawaii’s Early Head Start to provide support for parents with low income.
• Family Support Services of West Hawaii and Hilo YWCA provide Healthy Start Home visiting services.

Increase Awareness:

• Link between teen pregnancy and negative outcomes for both mother and child.
• Of resources for teen pregnancy prevention and sexually transmitted disease prevention.

Obtain Additional Data:

• Assess effectiveness of Kahua Program curriculum on Life Skills and Sexuality Education at Honokaa High and Intermediate School.
• Compare rapid decline in teen pregnancy on Big Island to teen pregnancy rates in other counties.

Inventory and Build on Existing Resources:

• Develop resource list of local programs, speakers, consultants to North Hawaii schools.

Increase Organizational Links:

• Take regional approach through Task Force with regular meetings.
• Link with local teen theater and Just Think Mobile to create alternative messages - Tutu’s House.
• Link with national campaign: "Let's Talk Month" October – Hamakua Health Center.

 Identify and Address Barriers:

• Schools may not have resources to provide teen pregnancy prevention and sexually transmitted disease prevention curriculum.

Promote Effective Programs:

• Improve early identification of students with reading and learning challenges.
• Develop resources and partnerships to expand Kahua Project to other schools in North Hawaii.
• Provide developmentally appropriate infant/toddler care so that teens may complete their education.

Promote Effective Practices:

• Offer leadership training through STAR program with Columbia University (funded by Ford Foundation).
• Encourage health awareness through student use of www.howsyourhealth.com in health and science classes.
• Awareness of early predictors of risky behavior and protective assets.

Promote Effective Policies:

• School policies regarding student use of alcohol and/or marijuana.

Improve Health Systems:

• Partner with health care providers to increase access to reproductive health and life skills education.
• Provision of basic health care to minors who are homeless or who lack supervision (current legislation).

Acknowledge Champions and Progress:

• Recognize Kahua Program, Hamakua Health Center and Department of Health.
• Recognize house visiting programs such as Alu Like, Healthy Start and Early Head Start as well as the House Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) programs for their efforts, and to promote healthy birth outcomes and delay subsequent pregnancies.