Breaking Ground (PDF)
In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a groundbreaking initiative called the Community Coalition Partnership Programs for the Prevention of Teen Pregnancy (CCPP). Under the auspices of the CCPP, CDC provided funding to 13 communities across the country with higher-than-average teen birth rates to demonstrate that community partners could organize community resources in support of teen pregnancy prevention programs that were community-wide, comprehensive, effective, and sustainable. A publication released in December 2003 from the National Campaign, "Breaking Ground," spotlights the approaches that worked and the challenge encountered during the first two years of CCPP.

Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy
Summary of the May 2001 comprehensive review of evaluation research that offers practitioners and policymakers the latest information on "what works" to prevent teen pregnancy. Douglas Kirby, Ph.D., reviews research on a wide range of programs, including curriculum-based sexuality and abstinence education for teens and pre-teens, sex education for parents, contraceptive and family planning clinics and programs, early childhood programs, youth development and service learning programs, and community-based, multiple-component initiatives.

Do Abstinence-Only Programs Delay the Initiation of Sex Among Young People and Reduce Teen Pregnancy? (PDF)
In May 2001, the National Campaign published Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy, by Doug Kirby, Ph.D, a comprehensive review of evaluation research on "what works" to prevent teen pregnancy. Among other findings, the publication concluded that "the evidence is not conclusive about the impact of abstinence-only programs." Earlier this year, the Heritage Foundation published a paper with quite different conclusions. The paper, The Effectiveness of Abstinence Education Programs in Reducing Sexual Activity Among Youth, identified ten studies it said demonstrated that abstinence-only programs can reduce sexual activity among youth.

This paper, Do Abstinence-Only Programs Delay the Initiation of Sex Among Young People and Reduce Teen Pregnancy?, is Dr. Kirby's answer to the important question: Do there now exist studies with good evidence demonstrating that one or more abstinence-only programs delay sex and/or reduce teen pregnancy? Building on the findings of Emerging Answers, this is the first in a series of papers by Dr. Kirby providing additional guidance on what works to reduce adolescent pregnancy. The next paper in the series will examine in greater detail which programs work for particular groups of teens and will be published in late 2002.

No Easy Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy
Summary of the National Campaign's March 1997 research review by Douglas Kirby, Ph.D., finds "there are no magic bullets" for preventing teen pregnancy. Prevention programs that address the complex reasons that teens become pregnant show the most promise for significantly reducing teen pregnancy and birth rates.

Halfway There (PDF)
Halfway There offers research (including analysis of why teen pregnancy rates are declining), key findings from the National Campaign's first five years, and a list of recommendations to policymakers, parents, teens, the media, and others.

Not Just Another Single Issue (PDF)
Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a host of other critical social issues — welfare dependency and overall child well-being, out-of-wedlock births, responsible fatherhood, and workforce development in particular. Not Just Another Single Issue: Teen Pregnancy Prevention's Link to Other Critical Social Issues — a brand new publication available from the National Campaign — makes the case that preventing teen pregnancy should be viewed not only as a reproductive health issue, but as one that works to improve all of these measures.

Keeping the Faith: The Role of Religion and Faith Communities in Preventing Teen Pregnancy (PDF)
Summary of a two-chapter report, by Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, Brian L. Wilcox, and Sharon Scales Rostosky, which explores some of the barriers between the faith and secular communities around issues of adolescent sexuality and examines what research says about the role religion plays in teens' sexual attitudes and behavior.

Teens Tell All
What do teens think about sex, pregnancy, contraception, parents, the media, and religion? Here are quotes from teens themselves on these and related issues.