Grant funds will be awarded to providers of SRAE programs that support local efforts to promote positive youth development, including leading youth in developing and navigating healthy relationships and making decisions that result in reduced teen pregnancy and STIs, including HIV, and teaches to the Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Standards. Applicants are encouraged to use evidence-based or evidence-informed teen pregnancy prevention curricula as their primary program(s) for this grant.
Programs may be implemented in after-school settings, within classroom settings in schools or communities. Applicants are also encouraged to incorporate direct services to youth through SRA programs that provide further connectedness to the school or community as well as parent education are also encouraged. All programs should incorporate the Colorado Comprehensive Health and Physical Education standards into programs and materials, particularly Standard 2 (GLS: Healthy Sexuality), and where applicable standard 3 (Social Emotional Wellness), and standard 4 (Prevention and Risk Management). Providers should also ensure that programs are consistent with the state statute, HB-07-1292 (http://www.cde.state.co.us/sites/default/files/documents/healthandwellness/ download/1292_enr.pdf) concerning medically accurate sex education. Additionally, programs must incorporate effective strategies that have demonstrated impacts on delaying initiation of sexual activity.
Priority will be given to applicants serving populations ages 10-19 at most risk such as but not limited to:
- Youth aging out of foster care;
- Parenting youth;
- Runaway and homeless youth;
- Minority teens including Native Americans;
- LGBTQ youth;
- Youth with developmental disabilities;
- Youth residing in areas with high teen birth rates; and
- Parent education for those youth involved in the SRAE programs.