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Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Health Resource Centers

    Many teenagers face challenges when they need health care. Some of these challenges include being afraid that their privacy won’t be kept safe, having trouble getting rides to appointments, and not being able to go because of the time or cost. The Bureau of Family Health (BFH) aims to help solve these problems with the Health Resource Center (HRC) model.

    HRCs are set up in high schools and community organizations so services are easy for teens to access. Here are some of the important services that HRCs provide:

    • Education about sexual and reproductive health;
    • Private counseling just for you;
    • Testing for infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea, and pregnancy;
    • Help with family planning services; and
    • Free condoms and other tools to help reduce risks.

    The BFH works together with AccessMatters to run HRCs in areas where they are most needed. These areas are chosen because they have high rates of teen pregnancy, gonorrhea, chlamydia, students dropping out of school, and binge drinking.

    Teen Game Plan

    A Teen Game Plan, or life plan, is designed to get you to think about your future and how the decisions you make now impact your future and your ability to reach your goals.  This tool will help you think about important issues in your life. The Teen Game Plan was developed in collaboration with the following organizations: Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania, Center for Schools and Communities and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. It is designed to get you to think about your future and how the decisions you make now impact your future and your ability to reach your goals.  This tool will help you think about important issues in your life.   

    Teen Game Plan Guide for Adults     

    This guide is designed for parents, teachers, coaches, school nurses or any adult who has a relationship with a teenager.  It is designed to be used with the Teen Game Plan tool and to give trusted adults the communication skills to talk about life planning and help provide information and support for youth to make healthy decisions.

    Bullying Prevention Program

    Bullying is a public health concern for youth. The CDC defines bullying as “any unwanted aggressive behavior by another youth or groups of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners. It involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated.”

    The Bureau of Family Health uses the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) to reduce bullying among teens in community youth organizations (CYOs). The OBPP has been found to reduce bullying behaviors and improve social and emotional outcomes among youth. Staff at CYOs are trained in the OBPP and learn to recognize and stop bullying. Youth participate in group meetings to learn about bullying. The goal is to create a healthy and supportive environment for all youth.

    Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)

    The Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) allows Pennsylvania to use approved curricula to teach teens how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Trained facilitators teach youth about abstinence and contraception. Other topics include healthy relationships, adolescent development, and healthy life skills.

    Teen Outreach Program

    The Teen Outreach Program allows Pennsylvania to use the Wyman Center's Teen Outreach Program (TOP) to help young people all over the state. It focuses on areas where teen pregnancy rates are higher than the state average. The program also looks at places with high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and risky behaviors like underage drinking and drug use.

    TOP is a proven program that helps young people in grades 6-12 grow and develop in a healthy way. It includes weekly group meetings, lessons, and opportunities to do community service. All of these activities are led by trained facilitators who build strong and supportive relationships with the youth.