The Washington State Personal Responsibility Education Program (WA PREP) is a prevention program funded by the Administration for Families and Children (ACF), Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), and Family and Youth Service Bureau (FYSB) through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This funding was established to decrease disproportionate teen birth rates, pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, African American, and non-Hispanic White adolescents, and other at risk youth at the middle school and high school development level (primarily age 11-18).
The purpose of WA PREP is to increase capacity of Intervention Partners to use evidence based interventions (EBIs). Intervention Partners will educate adolescents on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, and at least three adulthood preparation subjects (Healthy Relationships, Parent-Child Communication and Healthy Life Skills). Intervention Partners will receive specialized technical assistance and training (see box to the right) in one of the following interventions:
- ¡Cuídate!
- Making Proud Choices
- Reducing the Risk
- Sistas, Informing, Healing, Living, Empowering (SiHLE)
- Be Proud! Be Responsible!
- SHARP
- Draw the Line! Respect the Line!
WA PREP Intervention Partners will replicate EBIs that have been proven on the basis of rigorous scientific research to change behavior, which means delaying sexual activity, increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth, or reducing pregnancy among youth.