We are excited and honored to be the recipient of the 2016 Sex Ed Impact Award from The Center for Sex Education. The Sex Ed Impact Award is given to an individual, organization, and/or media (books, television, films, etc.) that has positively impacted the field of sexuality education.

Healthy Teen Network envisions a world where all adolescents and young adults lead healthy and fulfilling lives. We promote better outcomes for adolescents and young adults by advancing social change, cultivating innovation, and strengthening youth-supporting professionals and organizations. Since 1979, we have been building the capacity of youth-serving professionals and organizations to provide all adolescents and young adults, including young people who are pregnant or parenting, with the services, supports, and education necessary to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Located in Baltimore, we serve as a leading national membership organization (501c3) for adolescent health professionals and organizations, promoting a holistic approach—Youth 360°—to improve the health and well-being of young people because how and where we live, learn, and play matters.

Our commitment to a sex-positive, comprehensive approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health, coupled with an extensive assessment of our members, colleagues, and funders, led us to develop our Youth 360º holistic approach. We are dedicated to addressing the wide range of factors (or social determinants of health)—such as access to quality education and health services, socioeconomic status, or having life goals and aspirations—that can influence health outcomes and disparities. We promote Youth 360° because how and where we live, learn, and play matters. We view adolescent sexual and reproductive health as a social justice issue with public health ramifications. Youth 360° challenges us to move beyond focusing solely on individual behavior to address the social determinants of health, to achieve better outcomes for all young people. Youth 360º integrates the core tenets of comprehensive sexuality education to support and empower all young people to lead healthy sexual and reproductive lives.

Download the press release here.