8Teen PregnancyPolicy Proposal and Implementation PlanTwo Policy Alternatives to Address the SDOHMaking emergency contraception more accessible to teens would be helpful for ruralteens to make the responsible decision if they have unprotected sex. Living in a rural communitycan make it difficult to have access to birth control and emergency contraception. Providing asafe place for teens to have access to this would make them more likely to use it. Educating themon the emergency contraceptives and the availability would also be important in this policyalternative.Teaching teens about sexual abstinence could also lower the teen birth rate. Teachingabstinence will delay the teen's first sexual encounter, decrease the number of partners they have,and therefore decrease teen pregnancy(2018).Preferred PolicyMy preferred policy would be to teach abstinence. I believe that if we can teach teens towait before having sex they will reach an older age where they can make a more informed andmature decision. Being abstinent can lower the sexual partners a teen may have and decreaseteen pregnancy and STIs (2018). Abstinence is the surest way that teens can avoid out-of-wedlock childbearing, STDs, lower academic achievement, and teen pregnancy. Abstinent teenson average report better psychological wellbeing and higher education than most other teens whoare sexually active (Kim & Rector, 2010).How the Desired Results of the New Policy will Optimize Health in CommunityAs a result of the PREP class that will be implemented in school curriculums, teens willbe more aware and educated about sex and the things they can do to prevent pregnancy. Teenageyoung girls will likely delay sexual activity and be older than average when they have their firstsexual encounter. Sex will be safe and consensual, and they will be more likely to take theappropriate steps to prevent pregnancy. I believe that students enrolled in a PREP class will havemore academic success and be able to provide a better future when they are more prepared for afamily later in life. All in all, the PREP class will have great benefits for teenage girls aged 15-19especially Hispanic girls.Financial Costs and Benefits of Proposed PolicyThe financial implication of providing PREP classes to my community could be sizeable.It is preferable to have a program that is built into the school curriculum rather than have stand-alone programs. Implementing the PREP class to schools would mean that teachers would needto attend special training to be able to teach the class in the manner it was intended. If teachersaren't the ones running the classes for students, we would need to pay outside people to come andteach the class to the students. Creating the material needed for students, such as books andpamphlets, may also be an implicated cost.
