Federal Guidance
The purpose of the federally funded Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) is to:
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Educate youth on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS
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Educate adolescents on at least three adulthood preparation subjects and life skills
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Replicate evidence-based effective program models
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Target youth ages 10-19
Statutory Authority
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Title V, Section 513
Iowa HHS is the administrator of Iowa's PREP funding and awards contracts to community-based organizations and agencies school districts to deliver PREP programming. Local contractors deliver programs in multiple high risk counties in Iowa. IDPH Iowa HHS underwent a rigorous prioritization process that looked at a number of indicators related to teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and vulnerable populations to determine which counties would be targeted to receive programming. Agencies then proposed to deliver PREP, through a competitive selection process, in the identified high risk counties.
PREP Goals
- Goal 1:
Delay the onset of sexual activity and reduce the rate of pregnancy, birth and STIs, including HIV/AIDS, to high risk, vulnerable and sexually active youth (ages 10-19) in high risk communities across Iowa. - Goal 2:
Empower Iowa youth to make healthy decisions and positive choices regarding sexual behavior as they prepare for successful adulthood. - Goal 3:
Increase prevention capacity and infrastructure at the state and community levels to deliver and sustain effective evidence-based services.
PREP contractors implement one of two evidence-based and evidence-informed teen pregnancy prevention programs to youth in their area based on community need and input.