The Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy will kick off its Tulsa efforts with a private luncheon featuring guest speakers who will address the economic and social impact of teen pregnancy in the community.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oklahoma currently ranks 4th in the nation for the highest rate of teen births. It’s estimated that the cost of teen childbearing in 2012 in Tulsa County was nearly $38 million, with 1,529 births.
The campaign will use a four-pronged approach to lower the high teen birth rate in Tulsa and across Oklahoma, including public awareness, education and community capacity-building, clinic and health center capacity-building and updating and increasing access to teen birth data.
Featured guest speakers at the luncheon will include Dr. Cathy Burden, former superintendent of Union Public Schools, who will discuss how teen pregnancy impacts dropout rates and completion of educational goals. Larry Mocha, president and CEO of APSCO, will address teen pregnancy’s effect on workforce development and the economy. Dr. Rupa DeSilva, a physician at The Women’s Health Group who works closely with teens in her practice, will discuss brain development among teenagers and the important role that adults play in educating teens.