Minnesota: It's That Easy

Parents are the first and most important sexuality educators in their children’s lives but many are afraid they do not know the right answers or feel confused about the proper amount of information to offer and report needing help. Because of this need, a group of key health educators in Minnesota developed a “parents-as-sexuality-educators” curriculum called It’s That Easy. After an informal needs assessment of sexual health, parent education, teen pregnancy prevention and public health practitioners, an extensive literature review and an analysis of parent-child communication programs, the curriculum and training materials have been piloted and implemented statewide. The project involves communities at highest need which have the greatest health disparities in teen pregnancy, birth and STD rates: populations of color, American Indian, new immigrants and sexual minority youth.

The Minnesota HIV prevention education program collaborates with the key lead partner, the Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting for programming, and the University of Minnesota Healthy Youth Development-Prevention Research Center for project evaluation, as well as a diverse group of health educators to advise on the It’s That Easy curriculum and training. Project activities include: 1) equipping a cadre of trainers with the skills to deliver the It’s That Easy curriculum training; 2) delivering the new curriculum It’s That Easy to 300 parent educators and teachers; 3) implementing a detailed evaluation plan to track, improve and report on the results of the program and 4) sharing the curriculum and training model with national audiences.

• Contact Person: Kathy Brothen
• Email Address: kathy.brothen@state.mn.us
• Website Address: http://www.mnschoolhealth.com/