Personal Responsibility Education Program

Federal Guidance

The purpose of the federally funded Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) is to:

• Educate youth on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS
• Educate adolescents on at least three adulthood preparation subjects and life skills
• Replicate evidence-based effective program models
• Target youth populations that are the most high-risk or vulnerable for pregnancies

Statutory Authority: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Title V, Section 513

Iowa PREP

Iowa's Personal Responsibility Education Program will provide sexuality education to adolescents that is medically accurate, culturally and age-appropriate, and evidence-based. Community-based programming will be implemented with the goal of assisting youth to reduce their risk of unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Iowa PREP programs will also address risk and protective factors to assist teens in making responsible, informed decisions and lead safe and healthy lives. Adult preparation subjects will include healthy relationships, adolescent development, healthy life skills, parent-child communication, financial literacy, and educational and career success.

State PREP Vision

Iowa youth are empowered to make healthy choices and positive decisions regarding sexual behavior as they prepare for successful adulthood.

Iowa's PREP will focus on the following priority populations:

Youth ages 10-19 who are:

• African American
• Hispanic
• Living in institutionalized foster care
• Residing in areas of the state with the highest teen birth rates

IDPH is the administrator of Iowa's PREP funding. IDPH will award contracts to community-based organizations and agencies through a Request for Proposal process. Each site must demonstrate the need for PREP funding in their community and their capacity to deliver an evidence-based program to the adolescent population.

The selected evidence-based curricula are:

• Teen Outreach Program for youth in at-risk communities ages 12-18  
• Wise Guys for males ages 11-17  
• SiHLE for African American adolescent females ages 14-18  

Resources

• IDPH Family Planning Program
• PREP Federal Website  
• EyesOpenIowa  

For more information contact

Addie Rasmusson
PREP Coordinator
(515) 281-6071

Use the "Contact Us" page to submit questions online