BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2141
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 18, 2006
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
Wilma Chan, Chair
AB 2141 (Jones) - As Amended: April 6, 2006
SUBJECT : Family planning: Parent-Child Communication
Assistance Program.
SUMMARY : Establishes the Parent-Child Communication Assistance
Program (program) with the goal of decreasing teenage
pregnancies through programs that equip parents, guardians, and
parenting adults with the knowledge, understanding, and
communication skills necessary to talk to their children about
making responsible decisions regarding at-risk sexual behavior.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes a number of findings and declarations about open
communication about sex between teenagers and parents and the
goal of decreasing teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs), and sexual assault.
2)Requires the program to be a continuing program within the
Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Branch (MCAH) of the
Department of Health Services (DHS), with the goal of
decreasing teenage pregnancies through programs that equip
parents, guardians, and parenting adults with the knowledge,
understanding, and communication skills necessary to talk to
their children about making responsible decisions regarding
at-risk sexual behavior.
3)Requires the program to focus on parents, guardians, and
parenting adults of minor children at risk of becoming
pregnant or impregnating someone, in an effort to provide
effective tools for communicating with their children
regarding responsible behavior.
4)Requires participation in the program by a parent, guardian,
or parenting adult to be on a voluntary basis only.
5)Requires priority for funding under the program to be given to
public or private nonprofit organizations operating:
a) Programs that target parents, guardians, and parenting
adults in geographic areas that have been found to be at
high risk of teen pregnancy;
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b) Programs for parents, guardians, and parenting adults of
foster care youth; or,
c) Programs designed to assist parents, guardians, and
parenting adults in communicating effectively with minors
to increase the minors' understanding of, and ability to
act responsibly regarding, their own sexuality and the
social pressures affecting them.
6)Requires grants to be made available to qualified public or
private nonprofit providers. Requires MCAH to establish
provider qualifications including, but not limited to:
a) Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and competence;
b) All factual information in the curriculum regarding
human sexuality, the prevention of unintended pregnancy,
and sexually transmitted infections is medically accurate
and objective;
c) Demonstrated ability to provide effective tools, skills,
and strategies for adult communication with minors
regarding sexuality;
d) The provision of, or referral for, a comprehensive range
of services to meet the health, education, and welfare
needs of minors; and,
e) The provision of a list of available resources in the
community.
7)Defines "parenting adult" as an adult in a child rearing or
mentoring role, regardless of whether the adult is a relative
of the minor.
8)Requires this bill to be implemented to the extent that an
appropriation for that purpose is made from funds made
available by the federal government or the state, or by both.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires DHS to maintain a program of maternal and child
health.
2)Permits DHS to conduct the Adolescent Family Life Program to
assure that pregnant adolescents receive comprehensive
continuous prenatal care in order to deliver healthy babies;
to establish networks within regions to provide to pregnant
and parenting teens and their children necessary services
including medical care, psychological and nutritional
counseling, maternity counseling, adoption counseling,
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academic and vocational programs, and day care; to provide a
continuous case manager to each family unit; and to maintain a
data base to measure outcomes of adolescent pregnancies.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)PURPOSE OF THIS BILL . According to the author, current law
does not provide parents the tools to communicate with their
teens about sex and sexuality to prevent teen pregnancy and
STDs. Existing programs to prevent teen pregnancy and STDs
involve the adolescents rather than their parents. Research
shows that teens who feel comfortable communicating openly
with their parents, their guardians, or other adult mentors
about sexuality are more likely to delay sexual activity, are
less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, and are better
equipped to have healthy relationships and attitudes about
sexuality. Parents and teens agree that the biggest barrier
to effective communication about sex is that teens and parents
are not comfortable discussing sex with one another. Frank
and honest communication not only provides kids with a
framework for making decisions, it also helps protect our
children from sexual abuse and from becoming sexual abusers.
If parents want their children to share their values, be safe
and act responsibly, parents and other adult mentors need to
prepare themselves to start the often "tough" conversations.
2)ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH . According to a Family
Planning Access Care and Treatment (Family PACT) program fact
sheet regarding adolescent health, adolescence is a time when
many young people become sexually active and develop values
and behaviors that continue through adulthood. It is also a
time of heightened risk for unintended pregnancy and STDs.
Recent declines in teen birth rates have been attributed to
delayed sexual activity, increased use of condoms and more
effective long-acting hormonal birth control methods.
Concerns about cost and confidentiality, as well as lack of
transportation or knowledge of where to obtain services,
prevent many teens from accessing services. While
California's teen birth rate has reached a record low, 46 out
of every 1,000 young women 15-19 years old gave birth in 2001.
Almost 80% of teen pregnancies are unintended, and 36%
result in abortion. According to the federal Department of
Health and Human Services, the U.S. teen birth rate remains
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the highest among developed countries. The rate is lowest in
Japan with about four births per 1,000 women and is below 10
per 1,000 in a number of countries, including Denmark,
Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and
Switzerland. In California, an estimated 40% of high school
students in California are sexually active. Two-thirds of
chlamydia cases and half of gonorrhea cases reported in
California occur among individuals under 25 years of age.
3)PARENTAL INFLUENCE . According to a September 2003 survey
released by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy,
teens reported that parents influence their decisions about
sex more than anyone else. Nearly half (45%) of all teens
said that parents are most influential with regards to their
decisions about sex and 53% of young adolescents (aged 12-14)
say parents are most influential. While most young people
(88%) said it would be much easier to postpone sexual activity
and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open,
honest conversations about these topics with their parents,
nearly one in four said they have never discussed sex,
contraception, or pregnancy with their parents. The
percentage of teens who believe it would be much easier for
teens to postpone sex and avoid teen pregnancy if they were
able to have open, honest conversations with their parents
increased nearly 20% between 2002 and 2003 (from 69% in 2002
to 88% in 2003). Fifty-nine percent of teens consider their
parents to be role models of healthy, responsible
relationships. A 2002 survey conducted by the Center for
Adolescent Health and Development at the University of
Minnesota found that teens who are close to their parents and
feel supported by them are more likely to abstain from sex,
wait until they are older to begin having sex, have fewer
sexual partners, and use contraception more consistently.
4)TECHNICAL AMENDMENT . To accurately reflect the name of MCAH,
this bill should be amended to insert "Health" after
"Adolescent" on page 2, line 30 and on page 3, line 28.
5)SUPPORT . The National Center on Youth Law states that youth
make better decisions about sexual activity when they have
accurate information and when they can speak freely about sex
with their parents and guardians and that this bill focuses on
youth who are at the highest risk of teen pregnancies by
giving priority to programs for parents, guardians, and
parenting adults of youth in foster care. The County Welfare
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Directors Association of California contends that having
access to accurate information and support about how to
encourage foster youth to make responsible decisions about sex
will help caregivers provide more effective guidance to these
high-risk youth. The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists (ACOG), District IX writes that teen pregnancy
is not only riskier than pregnancy for women in their
twenties, but hinders a teen's ability to achieve her
education and financial independence. ACOG states that this
program will enable many more of California's teens to achieve
their goals as well as save taxpayer dollars. Planned
Parenthood Affiliates of California believes that it is
important that parents build a relationship of communication
with their children about sexual activity and providing
parents with medically accurate information and the tolls for
communication are the best ways to prevent at-risk behavior
and unwanted pregnancies. The American Federation of State
County and Municipal Employees contend that this bill will
equip parents with the listening and communication skills
necessary to address topics of at-risk behavior with their
children. The American Association of University Women
California writes that parents need to be supported and
assisted in developing comfortable communication skills.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
National Center on Youth Law (sponsor)
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (sponsor)
American Association of University Women California
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX
American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
County Welfare Directors Association of California
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Melanie Moreno / HEALTH / (916)
319-2097