FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2005
For additional information contact:
Amy Morris, Community Relations Coordinator, (616) 632-7110
Barb Flis, Project Coordinator, (248) 538-7786
Governor’s Talk Early & Talk Often Parent Program Comes to
Grand Rapids December 1, 2005
(Grand Rapids, Mich,) – Grand Rapids has been chosen as one of 60 communities from across the state to pilot Governor Granholm’s Talk Early & Talk Often program.
Talk Early & Talk Often is a grassroots effort to give parents of middle school students the tools they need to talk to their children about the important issue of sexuality. Talk Early & Talk Often recognizes parents as the primary sex educators of their children and when given the correct information and tools, they can be instrumental in providing critical messages to their children. These messages can help their children abstain from sexual intercourse and avoid HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancy.
Talk Early & Talk Often workshops were created to help parents gain the knowledge and skills needed to communicate with their children about abstinence and sexuality and provide opportunities to practice communicating those issues. The workshops cover a wide variety of topics including advice for parents on: addressing sticky situations, recognizing and using teachable moments and becoming an “askable” parent.
“The Governor recognizes that parents are the primary abstinence and sexuality educators of their children. Continued communication at home is vital in helping our young people avoid sexual relationships they are not yet prepared for that may have serious consequences including pregnancy, HIV and sexually transmitted infections,” said Barbara Flis, Talk Early & Talk Often Project Coordinator.
The workshop is free of charge and will be held on Thursday, December 1st at 6:30pm at the Kent County Health Department’s 700 Fuller Avenue NE location. Space is limited; advanced registration is required. To register call Julie Brooks at (616) 632-7282.
The Talk Early & Talk Often initiative is part of Governor Granholm’s Blueprint for Preventing Unintended Pregnancies unveiled this past July. The Governor’s announcement came as a result of recommendations from an inter-agency workgroup with representatives from the Governor’s Office, Department of Community Health, Michigan Department of Education, Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Michigan Women’s Commission, Department of Human Services and the Michigan Surgeon General. For more information and other host site locations go to www.michigan.gov/miparentresources and click on “Talk Early & Talk Often.”
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The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) has been in the business of providing health services to the whole of Kent County since 1931. It is made up of four divisions: Administration, Community Clinical Services, Community Nursing and Environmental Health. The Health Department is home to nearly 325 employees including public health nurses, sanitarians, health educators, technicians, public health administrators and the Kent County Animal Shelter. KCHD operates five satellite clinics located in Wyoming, Kentwood, Rockford, Sheldon Complex, and the Westside of Grand Rapids. To learn more about our services visit www.accesskent.com/health
