Parents and Teens Talk Straight About Sex Education

Teen Straight Talk, a free program designed to motivate adults and their children to talk about topics such as abstinence, teen pressures, sex education and responsible decision making, will be presented beginning at 12:30 p.m. April 2. The event will take place in the Academic Classroom Building on the Lubbock campus.

Teen Straight Talk is a community-based program supported by more than 60 community organizations, businesses and individuals.

This program is divided into two major parts. The first part of the program is presented by professional counselors, faculty and psychologists from the Lubbock community and surrounding areas of West Texas, and allows for open discussions on topics that have led to the high rate of teen problems such as depression, eating disorders, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse and sometimes teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Open Discussion Topics

• Teen pressures
• Dealing with peer pressures
• Depression
• Bullying
• Body image and self-esteem problems

The second part of the program presents the Big Decision, a comprehensive sex education program provided by faculty in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and residents, TTUHSC medical students, nursing faculty and nursing students. This program helps to open the lines of communication by instructing with pictures, diagrams and dialogue, along with providing resource materials for adults and adolescents on topics including:

Big Decision Topics

• How the body works
• Abstinence, sexual responsibility and consequences
• STDs
• Contraceptives and protection

Numerous community programs will have booths to explain their available resources.

The City of Lubbock will provide free Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing and the Lubbock Regional Mental Health Mental Retardation Center will offer free HIV and STD testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free child care for children ages 9 or younger will be available.

For more information, contact Teen Straight Talk Co-Chairs McPherson at (806) 743-2463, ext. 229 or email kathleen.mcpherson@ttuhsc.edu or Linda Brice, Ph.D., R.N., at (806) 241-3652 or linda.brice@ttuhsc.edu.