New Mexico in Focus; 913; Teen Pregnancy Special

FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE McCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, AND THE NELITTA E. WALKER FUND FOR KNME-TV, THE KNME-TV ENDOWMENT FUND, AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS, WE BRING YOU A DOCUMENTARY ON TEEN PREGNANCY IN OUR STATE. >> WELL, I'D BEEN HANGING OUT WITH THE WRONG CROWD, TOO, SO THAT WAS A HUGE IMPACT. AND THEY WERE ALL HAVING UNPROTECTED SEX, AND SO THAT WAS JUST LIKE THE NORM, YOU KNOW. >> AND, A PANEL OF LOCAL EXPERTS TALK ABOUT PREVENTING UNPLANNED PREGNANCY AND HOW TO SUPPORT YOUNG PARENTS. NEW MEXICO InFOCUS STARTS >> THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. THIS WEEK, WE'LL FOCUS ON ONE TOPIC FOR THE ENTIRE HOUR - TEEN PREGNANCY. FOR YEARS, NEW MEXICO HAS HAD HIGH TEEN BIRTH RATES, SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES IN THE NATION, BUT THE NUMBER OF TEEN BIRTHS IN OUR STATE HAS DROPPED IN RECENT YEARS,

JUST AS TEEN BIRTH RATES HAVE ALSO FALLEN ACROSS THE U.S. IF YOU'RE A REGULAR VIEWER, THIS SHOW IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. FIRST, WE'LL BRING YOU THE DOCUMENTARY 'PREGNANT' WHICH WAS PRODUCED BY LOCAL FILMMAKER, CHRIS SCHEULER. THEN I'LL BE JOINED IN STUDIO BY A PANEL OF LOCAL LEADERS WHO HAVE IDEAS ABOUT HOW COMMUNITIES CAN REDUCE TEEN PREGNANCY, BUT IF A PERSON BECOMES A PARENT AT A YOUNG AGE, WHAT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT CAN HELP THEM FINISH HIGH SCHOOL AND ACHIEVE THEIR ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS. >> THIS IS THE GAME OF CONCENTRATION. NO REPEATS OR HESITATION. TOPIC IS - BIRTH CONTROL. >> CONDOMS. >> FEMALE CONDOM. >> PILL. >> DIAPHRAGM. >> NUVARING. >> ABSTINENCE. WHY WON'T IT COME?

>> IT'S RIGHT HERE, DEAR. >> OKAY, SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE IS TEEN PREGNANCY AND HOW HIGH IT IS IN NEW MEXICO. WHY DO YOU GUYS THINK TEEN PREGNANCY IS SO HIGH IN NEW MEXICO? CINDY. >> BECAUSE PARENTS DON'T TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX AS MUCH. >> AND WHY DO YOU THINK TEEN PREGNANCY IS SO HIGH IN NEW MEXICO? >> THE LACK OF EDUCATION OF CONTRACEPTION IN TEENS. >> DEFINITELY. THOSE ARE TWO REALLY BIG REASONS. SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY SO THAT WE CAN SPREAD MORE KNOWLEDGE TO OUR COMMUNITY IS HOW WOULD WE LIKE OUR PARENTS TO TALK TO US ABOUT SEX. AS YOUNG PEOPLE, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY THAT YOUR PARENT COULD TALK TO YOU >> OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START THE SELFIE MOVIE. GO AHEAD AND TAKE OUT YOUR CELLPHONE, AND I WANT YOU TO PRETEND THAT YOU ARE YOUR PARENT TALKING TO YOU ABOUT SEX. >> HEY JOHNNY. >> HEY VANESSA.

>> OK CINDY. >> THIS IS YOUR DAD HERE. >> THIS IS YOUR DAD. >> CAN I TALK TO YOU FOR A MINUTE. >> WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE TALK. [LAUGHTER] >> I JUST WANTED TO TALK. >> YOU'RE AT THE AGE WHERE... >> I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SEX. >> TALK ABOUT SEX WITH YOU. >> SEE IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION. >> MAKE SURE YOU'RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS. >> I DON'T WANT YOU TO END UP PREGNANT OR TO GET ANY STI. >> SO PLEASE, COME TO ME BEFORE YOU TALK TO ANYONE ELSE. >> I JUST NEED YOU TO BE CAREFUL WITH THE DECISIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING. >> YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU WANT ANY BIRTH CONTROL OR ANYTHING, YOU CAN ASK ME AND WE CAN TAKE YOU TO THE DOCTORS. >> ABOUT 12-AND-A-HALF, MARY

REACHED PUBERTY. AROUND THIS TIME, SHE FOUND THAT HER FRIENDS WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SEX. >> SHE OPENED THE DOOR, AND THERE SHE WAS LYING IN BED. [LAUGHTER] >> SOME OF THEM GOT MOST OF THEIR INFORMATION FROM OFF-COLORED JOKES THAT THEY REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. TO DO -- I MEAN, ABOUT HAVING BABIES? >> HOW TO TALK ABOUT SEX. BODIES, BABIES, CHOICES ISN'T THE USUAL DINNER CONVO HAD AROUND THE FAMILY TABLE. >> NOT THE USUAL LESSON PLAN ASSIGNED BY TEACHER, CHALK-MARKED WITH THE COURAGE TO SPEAK AND HEAR TRUTH. >> NOT THE COMMON CHRISTMAS GREETING CARD FROM GRANDMA. >> OR NEWSLETTER SENT HOME FROM SCHOOL. >> HEY RICHARD, IT'S YOUR DAD. >> JACKIE, YOU'RE AT THAT AGE NOW. >> I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT STD'S. >> THE TALK IS ABOUT SEX. >> SEX. >> IT'S BETTER TO TELL YOU NOW. >> AND I WANT SAFE SEX TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU. >> BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. >> I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE A CHILD HAVING A CHILD. >> ALLEN, I'M WORRIED ABOUT HER. SHE'S GOTTEN JUST SILLY OVER BOYS. YOU SHOULD HEAR HER ON THE PHONE. >> I HAVE. BUT WHAT WORRIES ME EVEN

MORE IS THE WAY SHE GOES OUT DANCING AT THESE JUKE JOINTS. SHE HAS NOTHING IN HER HEAD BUT BOYS, BOYS, BOYS. >> I'LL HAVE TO TALK MORE TO HER ABOUT HOW TO HAVE FUN WITH THEM WITHOUT BEING SILLY. >> WELL, I GUESS SHE'LL JUST HAVE TO LEARN BY EXPERIENCE HOW TO LOOK AFTER HERSELF. >> I GOT PREGNANT WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD. I HAD HER BY THE TIME I WAS 16. IT'S BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER. >> I WAS 15 WHEN I HAD MY SON. I WASN'T PLANNING ON IT. >> I WAS SUPER TIRED. I WAS NAUSEOUS ALL THE TIME. SO THE PREGNANCY WAS LIKE HORRIBLE. >> WE DID TALK ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL AND ALL THAT STUFF, SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS ON THE BIRTH CONTROL AND EVERYTHING. >> EVEN IF SHE WAS ON THE PILL, IT MESSED UP, SO WE STILL ENDED UP WITH A KID. >> WE WERE USING BIRTH CONTROL, WE WERE USING CONDOMS, BUT I GUESS SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND I WAS 14. >> GIRL: HOW ARE YOU TODAY? >> DR. ESPY: I'M GREAT HOW ARE YOU DOING? >> GIRL: I'M DOING GOOD. >> THERE'S A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF TEENS WHO USE CONTRACEPTION WHEN THEY HAVE SO ABOUT 90% OF TEENS WHO

HAVE SEX ARE USING A CONTRACEPTIVE. BUT MOST OF THOSE TEENS ARE USING SHORT-ACTING METHODS THAT ARE NOT VERY EFFECTIVE, LIKE CONDOMS AND BIRTH CONTROL PILLS. CONDOMS ARE GREAT AT PREVENTING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GREAT AT PREVENTING PREGNANCY. A REALLY HIGH TYPICAL FAILURE RATE AT A YEAR, ABOUT 18%. SO ABOUT 18% OF TEENS WHO USE CONDOMS WILL BECOME PREGNANT IN A YEAR USING JUST THAT METHOD. >> FOR BIRTH CONTROL PILLS IT'S ABOUT 8%. SO EIGHT OF THAT 100 WOMEN WILL GET PREGNANT. >> GIRL: SO MY BOYFRIEND BECOMING SEXUALLY ACTIVE, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT READY TO HAVE A KID. SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO PREVENT THAT? >> DR. ESPY: WELL LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS. >> SO THE ANSWER IS REALLY THE LONG-ACTING, REVERSIBLE METHODS. WITH IUDS AND IMPLANTS, IT'S 1% OR LESS. SO ONE OUT OF 100 WOMEN WILL BECOME PREGNANT USING THOSE METHODS. AND THE IMPLANT IS ACTUALLY

THE MOST EFFECTIVE REVERSIBLE METHOD. WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT THEM IS IT'S A FORGETTABLE METHOD. THERE'S NOTHING THAT TEEN HAS TO DO. IT'S AN IN-OFFICE PROCEDURE. IT'S A SMALL BIT OF ANESTHETIC IN THE ARM THAT'S DELIVERED BY A NEEDLE. IT'S LITERALLY A SECOND, AND THEN THAT IMPLANT IS PLACED INTO THE UPPER ARM. THE GIRL DOESN'T EVEN FEEL IT. THAT'S LITERALLY A LESS THAN ONE-MINUTE PROCEDURE. THE IUD IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PROJECT. IT'S A PELVIC EXAM. REVERSIBLE MEANS THAT IF THAT TEENAGER WANTS TO GET PREGNANT, OR IF SHE JUST DOESN'T LIKE THE METHOD, IT CAN BE REMOVED. THE REMOVAL IS ALSO AN IN-OFFICE PROCEDURE. BUT IF THAT TEEN WANTS TO GET PREGNANT, LET'S SAY TWO YEARS LATER, AND THE ACTUAL METHOD LASTS FOR FIVE YEARS, SHE CAN BECOME PREGNANT AS SOON AS THE IMPLANT OR THE IUD IS REMOVED. >> WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HER? >> OH, SHE'S JUST GROWING UP, DEAR. >> WELL, HADN'T YOU BETTER

HAVE A TALK WITH HER? >> WELL, YES, DEAR, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME. WHEN SHE WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO BE READY WITH THE ANSWERS. >> TO TALK ABOUT IT IS TO SPEAK OF. >> THE ARITHMETIC OF THE HEART, THE ANATOMY OF SEX, THE MULTIPLICITIES OF THE SEXUAL SELF. >> THE ORIGIN STORIES, THE QUERIES, THE Q, THE QUAGMIRES OF QUESTIONS. >> GENDER, BEAUTY, BODY, SHAME-GAME. RELATIONSHIP RIGHTS AND WRONGS. >> PREGNANCY. >> I BELIEVE I DID SPEAK TO HER ABOUT IT. I DON'T BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT IT WAS ENOUGH. WE SPOKE A LOT ABOUT SEX, BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH IN DETAIL. >> I WAS IN SCHOOL IN MY FRESHMAN YEAR. THE FACT THAT SHE WAS SO YOUNG, I BELIEVED THAT SHE

WASN'T GOING TO BE SEXUALLY INVOLVED. THAT WAS MY MISTAKE. >> TELLING MY MOM WAS THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE, BECAUSE WE ALL WANTED ME TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND NO KIDS, OR TO LIKE ENJOY MY, I GUESS MY CHILDHOOD STILL. >> THAT DAY WAS A VERY, VERY UGLY DAY. IT WAS THE LAST THING I EVER EXPECTED TO HEAR FROM MY CHILD, THE LAST THING I EVER EXPECTED FOR MY CHILD TO BE PREGNANT. (CELLPHONE RINGING) >> PARENTS HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. YOU NEED TO BUILD UP A TRUST WITH YOUR CHILDREN AT A YOUNG AGE. >> AND THE BEST TIME FOR MY PARENT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT SAFE SEX WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE CAR AS WE'RE COMING FROM A STORE OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THERE I WOULDN'T WALK AWAY FROM THEM. >> LET'S GO DOWN THE SLIDE. ONE. TWO. THREE. >> NEW MEXICO IS A PREDOMINANTLY ETHNIC STATE WITH A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF LATINO POPULATION, AND WHEN

LOOK AT THE CULTURAL BACKGROUND THAT THAT INFUSES INTO THE PROBLEM OF TEEN PREGNANCY. >> IT'S DEFINITELY A TABOO TOPIC FOR A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PARENTS ARE COMFORTABLE SPEAKING ABOUT. SO IN TERMS OF HAVING COMFORTABLE APPROACHING THEIR PARENTS WITH THE QUESTIONS, IT COULD BE A BIG ISSUE. >> EMBEDDED WITHIN THE WHOLE PROBLEM ARE THESE LITTLE HEALTH DISPARITIES AND THESE INEQUITIES. YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT LACK OF EDUCATION, LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, WHICH ARE REALLY THE DRIVERS IN TEEN PREGNANCY. >> ACCESS IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE. I KNOW THAT MOST OF THE PARENTS ARE NOT VERY OPEN IN TERMS OF PROVIDING ACCESS TO KIDS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, AND I THINK KIDS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT VERY PRONE TO ASKING THEIR PARENTS TO TAKE THEM TO A CLINIC. >> HISTORICALLY, WE'VE HAD OUR FAMILIES REALLY YOUNG. HISTORICALLY, WE'VE HAD COMMUNITIES HELPING TO REAR THE CHILDREN.

BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE. WE CAN'T PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO THE YOUNG WOMAN. >> GROWING UP MEXICAN-AMERICAN MYSELF, I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN WHAT IS PRESENTED AND WHAT IS EXPECTED. I WOULD SAY THAT IN THE MEXICAN CULTURE, FOR SURE, THERE'S A LOT OF MACHISMO TO THIS DAY WITHIN A LOT OF THE FAMILIES THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PERCOLATES. >> AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PUTTING THEMSELVES OUT THERE AS SEXUAL BEINGS WHEN THEY CAN'T EVEN DO THAT IN THEIR OWN FAMILY. AND SO IMAGINE THAT. >> WELL, THINK ABOUT IT. WOULD YOU WANT TO TALK TO YOUR MOTHER ABOUT SEX? IT IS INTERESTING THAT WE THINK THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE SO INVOLVED IN SEX EDUCATION. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, VERY FEW CHILDREN WANT TO TALK TO THEIR PARENTS ABOUT SEX. >> SO THE BEST, EASIEST SOLUTION IS TO DO THIS WHEREVER THEY ARE IN SCHOOL. IT'S A NO-BRAINER. >> ATTENTION BOYS AND GIRLS. BOYS AND GIRLS ARE MADE BY BOYS AND GIRLS. THE BIRDS AND THE BEES AND A CAVERNOUS NEED TO BE LOVED BY SOMEONE. END OF LESSON. >> SO, RAISE YOUR HAND AND

TELL ME, WHAT DOES A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE? HANNAH? >> YOU HAVE TO TRUST EACH OTHER. >> OK. SARA. >> MUTUAL RESPECT. >> WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? >> HAVING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES. >> GOOD. HEALTHY BOUNDARIES. ALLIE? >> YOU HAVE TO HAVE TRUST IN EACH OTHER. >> OKAY, TRUST. GOOD. WHAT DOES A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE TO YOU? >> BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE. >> BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. GOOD. >> DON'T ACT LIKE AN ICEBERG ALL YOUR LIFE. LOOK, WE LOVE EACH OTHER, DON'T WE? >> TAKE ME HOME. >> NOW MARY BEGAN TO REALIZE WHAT HER MOTHER HAD MEANT ALL THESE YEARS. THROUGH HER OWN EXPERIENCE, MARY WAS DEVELOPING A SOUND IDEAL OF WHAT LOVE SHOULD MEAN IN HER LIFE. IT WAS NOT WHAT JACK OFFERED. VERY ACTIVE IN MY SCHOOL. I WAS WITH MY BOYFRIEND FOR

ABOUT A YEAR. WE NEVER REALLY TALKED ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT COULD HAPPEN, THE CONSEQUENCES. SO I BECOME PREGNANT AT THE AGE OF 14. >> TEEN PREGNANCY AND THE PREVENTION OF TEEN PREGNANCY AND TEEN BIRTHS IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY FOR OUR COUNTY. SO I'M VERY PLEASED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THIS EVENT HERE TODAY, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT ALL OF YOU ARE ANA COUNTY, TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE. >> HOW SHOULD YOU TALK TO YOUR PARTNER ABOUT THESE THINGS? >> SNAPCHAT. IT'S EMBARRASSING. SO MAYBE TEXTING OR SNAPCHAT, WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM IN THE FACE. >> I THINK WHAT'S COMING THROUGH THE MEDIA TO KIDS, LIKE THE CIALIS ADS -- WE HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD A FOURTH GRADE BOY, HE CAME RUNNING OUT IN THE KITCHEN AND SAID TO HIS MOTHER, 'WHAT'S THIS THING WITH THIS FOUR HOUR ONE?' >> I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO TALK ABOUT COMMITMENT AND TALK ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT DO I WANT

FROM YOU AND WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME? PART OF THE CONVERSATION HAS TO BE CONSEQUENCES. >> WE STARTED OFF BY DECIDING THAT THE ABSTINENCE-ONLY CURRICULUM IN THE LAS CRUCES SCHOOLS WAS NOT APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, MAKING IT NUMBER ONE IN THE USA IN THE NUMBER OF TEEN PREGNANCY BIRTHS. A YEAR LATER, OUR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS WERE ACTIVE, AND WE GOT THE BOARD TO ADOPT A POLICY THAT THEY COULD DO FAMILY PLANNING OUT OF THE SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. AND THOSE TWO FACTORS, I THINK, ARE THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR 50% DECLINE IN THE TEEN BIRTH RATE SINCE 2007 IN 15-17 YEAR-OLDS. RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT, AND SO I'M

GUESSING THAT YOU REALLY LIKE HIM. >> GIRL: WELL, I LIKE HIM A LOT, AND I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHAT THE NEXT STEP WILL BE. BUT I CAN SEE MYSELF HAVING A FAMILY WITH HIM SOMEDAY. >> DR. ESPY: AH, HOW WONDERFUL. >> THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO HAS LAWS THAT ALLOW FOR CONFIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR A LIST OF SERVICES THAT INCLUDE FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES FOR ALL AGES. CONSIDER THE FOUR C'S IN TERMS OF YOUTH-FRIENDLY SERVICES. CONFIDENTIALITY: ABSOLUTELY STRICT. COMFORT: WE'RE MEETING THE STUDENT IN HIS OR HER COMFORT ZONE. CONVENIENCE: WE'RE LOCATED ON CAMPUS SO THERE'S NO AND COST: WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FREE SERVICES. THESE ARE AT THE SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CLINICS THAT ARE PROVIDING FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES AS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM FROM THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. >> IF SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO REALLY WANTS TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUR SCHOOLING .... >> WE HAVE AGES FROM MIDDLE

SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. >> DR. ESPY: WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY, AND WHATEVER YOU SAY HERE STAYS HERE. I'VE ENCOURAGED YOU TO INVOLVE YOUR PARENTS IN YOUR DECISION-MAKING, BUT I LEAVE IT TO YOU. NOW, I WANT TO GO OVER ALL THE SPECIFIC METHODS. >> I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE SPREAD THE MESSAGE THAT IT'S OKAY TO TALK TO YOUR KIDS. IT'S OKAY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, BECAUSE UNLESS WE DO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THEN NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE. A PROGRAM AIMED AT HELPING PARENTS START THE CONVERSATION WITH TEENAGERS. WE DO WHAT ARE CALLED HOME HEALTH PARTIES. PHYSIOLOGY. WE GO OVER BIRTH CONTROL. WE GO OVER STI'S, AND HOW TO ACTUALLY TALK TO THE TEENS. >> BUT IT HAS ONLY BEGUN, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN WE ARE YOUNG WE RUN WITH RECKLESSNESS. WE TALK ABOUT MAKING LOVE, BUT NEVER ABOUT MAKING BABIES. >> UNLESS BABIES MAKE US

TALK ABOUT THEM. >> OR WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW. >> OR WE WANTED TO KNOW. >> BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO ASK. >> WE TALK ABOUT EACH OTHER. >> OR HOW TO ASK. >> BUT NEVER TO EACH OTHER. >> OR HAD NO ONE TO ASK. OR HAD NO ONE. >> WHY IT NEVER DAWNED ON US THAT THIS WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT I COULD GET PREGNANT, I SO FOR THE MOST PART, NO, WE DIDN'T USE SAFE SEX. >> I THINK PARENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS NEW GENERATION AND WITH THE ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOW EASY KIDS CAN GET ACCESS TO VIDEOS ONLINE AND JUST FALSE INFORMATION. >> A LOT OF TIMES, TEENAGERS ARE GOING ON THE INTERNET TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION THAT THEY MIGHT NEED ABOUT THEIR CONTRACEPTION, AND THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ON THE INTERNET. >> BIRDS AND BEES IS A TEXTING SERVICE THAT THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM HAS ADOPTED AS THE TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION COMPONENT. TEENS AND PARENTS ACROSS NEW MEXICO CAN TEXT QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ABOUT HEALTH, RELATIONSHIPS, PUBERTY, SEXUALITY, AND GET A MEDICALLY ACCURATE RESPONSE. >> NEW MEXICO PARENTS, ARE YOU READY FOR WHEN THEY ASK? IF SO, YOU CAN CALL BIRDS AND THE BEES. >> SO ONCE YOU TEXT A QUESTION, THE HEALTH EDUCATOR WILL RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS. >> OK, MIKE, THIS IS YOUR DAD. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR GIRLFRIEND. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. DO YOU WANT TO HAVE CHILDREN, OR DO YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL YOU'RE OLDER? IF YOU HAD A BABY, COULD YOU TAKE CARE OF IT? >> I WOULD GET UP AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING TO GET MYSELF DIAPER BAG READY, TAKE A SHOWER, GET BREAKFAST READY, DROP HER OFF WITH THE BABYSITTER, THEN COME TO SCHOOL AT 9:00 AM, AND THEN I WOULD BE IN SCHOOL 'TIL 5:00 PM, SOMETIMES 6:00. AND A FEW TIMES DURING THE

WEEK I WOULD WORK FROM 7:00 TO MIDNIGHT, AND I WOULD DEFINITELY WORK LIKE SATURDAYS. >> IF YOU HAD A BABY, COULD YOU TAKE CARE OF IT? >> FINANCIALLY, IT'S BEEN TOUGH. BABIES COST A LOT, ESPECIALLY GIRLS. EVERYTHING FROM DIAPERS TO SHOES, ESPECIALLY WITH FORMULA. >> SO I USED TO USE A GERBER SOOTHE, AND THIS WAS JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS SUPER COLICKY AND FUSSY. THIS ONE, AND IT ACTUALLY HELPED A LOT. AND I MEAN, THE PRICE FOR THIS IS, WHAT, $18.99 -- OR $17.99 A CAN. AND WIC WOULD ONLY GIVE ME NINE, AND SHE WOULD GO THROUGH LIKE 13, 14 A MONTH. SO I'D HAVE TO BUY THE EXTRA ONES. SO, $11 FOR 24 DIAPERS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO, WHAT, USE LIKE IN A WEEK, BABY? YEAH. IT'S OKAY, HUH, BABY. AND THEN WE'LL GET YOU SOME WIPES. THESE?

ALL RIGHT, ARE YOU READY? OK, LET'S GO. SO I USUALLY COME TO THE STORE AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK, WHETHER IT'S FOR FOOD, DIAPERS OR WIPES, AND I USUALLY SPEND AROUND $40 EACH TRIP. SO YOU'RE TALKING HONESTLY LIKE $80 A WEEK. THANK YOU. >> FINANCIAL WISE. OH, MY GOSH, THAT'S LIKE THE WORST PART, 'CUZ HE GOES THROUGH CLOTHES REALLY FAST, BECAUSE HE'S GROWING! BECAUSE HE'S HUGE NOW! AND LIKE, THROUGHOUT MY PREGNANCY I WAS LIKE, OH, HE'S GOING USE THIS TILL HE'S LIKE SIX MONTHS. OH, HE WENT THROUGH LIKE WITHIN A WEEK. HE GOT BIG REALLY FAST. THEY USE A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK THEY DO. A LOT MORE! >> THIS POSITIVE PLUS SIGN THAT INDICATES LIFE WILL BE CHANGED FOREVER MORE. GENDER PRESCRIBED COLORS, BABY CLOTHES AND A FAREWELL TO THIS YOUTH, MY YOUTH.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY CLICKING THEIR TONGUES, POINTING THEIR EYES LIKE FINGERS AT MY GROWING BELLY. >> I DID NOT TELL ANYBODY 'TIL I WAS FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT WHEN I WAS ALREADY, LIKE, GETTING TUBBIER. AND EVERYBODY'S REACTION WAS, I GUESS, JUDGMENTAL IN A WAY. >> IT WAS VERY HARD. IT WAS VERY HARD. I FELT LIKE PEOPLE LOOKED DOWN ON ME. SHE'S A TEEN MOM. SHE'S BAD NEWS. I CONTINUED TO GO TO SCHOOL. MY MOM WAS LIKE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DROP OUT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO, EITHER. SO I STUCK IT OUT. THERE'S A DAYCARE THROUGH THE SCHOOL. >> I WAS A SOPHOMORE WHEN I GOT PREGNANT, AND I ACTUALLY DROPPED OUT FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE MONTHS WHEN I GOT PREGNANT BECAUSE I WAS SO EMBARRASSED, BASICALLY. I DECIDED TO TRY TO GET MY GED, BUT I WENT TO THE

SUPERINTENDENT, I BELIEVE, THAT HAD TO SIGN OFF ON IT, AND SHE SAID, NO WAY. SHE'S LIKE, YOU CAN DO IT. THIS IS NOT A REASON FOR YOU TO DROP OUT. SO HONESTLY, BECAUSE OF HER, I THINK, THAT'S WHY I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL, AND I ENDED UP GRADUATING WITH MY CLASS. I WAS INVOLVED IN THE GRADS PROGRAM. IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM. I LEARNED SO MUCH. GRADUATION REALITY AND DUAL SKILL. CLASS FOR EXPECTANT PARENTING TEENS FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, AND FOCUSING ON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. US A LOT. THEY GET OUR CLASSES TOGETHER, THEY COMPLETE OUR CREDITS. >> FOR THE '13-'14 SCHOOL YEAR, THERE WERE 513 TEEN PARENTS INVOLVED IN GRADS AND 27 SITES ACROSS THE STATE, AND OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, WE HAVE IMPACTED 15,800 TEEN PARENTS. >> AND NOW THAT WE HAVE KIDS, GRADS TEACHES US ABOUT, LIKE, SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO TEACH YOUR LITTLE ONES. >> THE GRADUATION RATE FOR

TEEN PARENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE GRADS PROGRAM IS 77% COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF ABOUT 50% OF THOSE TEEN MOMS WHO AREN'T IN GRADS. >> IT HELPS US GO FARTHER IN LIFE AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS INSTEAD OF GETTING PREGNANT AGAIN. >> THEY ENCOURAGE THEM TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL AND POSTPONE A SECOND PREGNANCY. IN THE GRADS PROGRAM, 3.4% OF TEEN PARENTS HAD A REPEAT PREGNANCY LAST YEAR. AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 17%. >> MARY AND HER GANG WERE GOING THROUGH THE HANG-OUT STAGE. THEY LIKED TO BE IN A CROWD, WHERE YOU'RE NOT SURE HOW TO ACT OR WHAT TO SAY, YOU CAN HIDE YOUR CONFUSION IN THE GENERAL HUBBUB. A GIRL HAS TO LOOK AS THOUGH SHE KNEW HER WAY AROUND, BE MORE SOPHISTICATE THAN SHE REALLY IS. >> IT WOULD HAVE HELPED, DEFINITELY, IF MY PARENTS BECAUSE, WELL, I WAS HANGING OUT WITH THE WRONG CROWD, TOO. SO THAT HAD A HUGE IMPACT. AND THEY WERE ALL HAVING UNPROTECTED SEX, AND SO THAT WAS JUST, LIKE, THE NORM, YOU KNOW. AND I WAS LIKE, NO ONE'S GETTING PREGNANT, SO, YOU

KNOW. BUT SOON AFTER I GOT PREGNANT, LIKE, TWO OF MY OTHER FRIENDS GOT PREGNANT. >> SO BASICALLY, YES, YOU COULD GET PREGNANT THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE SEX, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE FIRST TIME, SEX IS STILL SEX. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S THE SECOND TIME OR THE FIRST TIME, YOU COULD STILL GET PREGNANT. >> THE SOUTH VALLEY PEERS IN ACTION IS AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. WE MEET ONCE A WEEK FOR AN HOUR, AND WE DO ACTIVITIES. WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO DELIVER CURRICULUM ABOUT THEN ALSO THEIR PEERS IN HIGH SCHOOL. >> WE HAVE A SPONSOR FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD WHO COMES EVERY WEEK, AND THEY'RE THE EXPERT ON THE SEX ED PORTION OF IT AND LIKE THE MATERIAL THAT THE KIDS TEACH. BUT THE KIDS THEMSELVES DEVELOP THE GAMES AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY DO WITH THESE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM. >> OUR EDUCATORS GO INTO SCHOOLS AND WORK WITH GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO

THE PEER EDUCATION PROGRAM. THEY TRAIN THEM TO BE EDUCATORS AND TO BE TEACHERS THEMSELVES. >> OKAY, SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRTH CONTROL METHODS YOU COULD DO TO PREVENT PREGNANCY, AND THIS IS ONE CONTROL METHOD. >> I THINK THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MORE RECEPTIVE TO HEAR THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION FROM THEIR PEERS. THEY'RE MORE RELAXED, THEY'RE MORE COMFORTABLE, THEY LISTEN MORE WHEN IT DOESN'T COME FROM AN ADULT. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MALE CONDOM, BUT MANY ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FEMALE CONDOM. >> BOB WAS GROWING UP, TOO. HE KNEW ABOUT THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS AND NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS. HE KNEW THAT THE HEALTHIEST LIFE FOR HIM WAS TO HAVE PLENTY OF EXERCISE AND FRESH AIR. UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN BOB WAS 16, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT HIS INTEREST IN GIRLS WAS GETTING TO BE MORE THAN CASUAL. >> IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG

MEN TO HEAR FROM THEIR FATHERS, FROM THEIR GRANDFATHERS, FROM THEIR OLDER BROTHERS THAT WHAT DEFINES YOU ISN'T NECESSARILY HAVING SEX. >> WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, THEM? WHAT DOES EMPOWERMENT MEAN TO THEM? >> HEY, IT'S YOUR DAD. >> HEY, ISAAC, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY DAUGHTER. IF SHE GETS PREGNANT, I HOPE YOU HAVE ROOM FOR HER AT YOUR HOUSE. IF YOU'RE MAN ENOUGH TO HAVE SEX WITH MY DAUGHTER, YOU ARE MAN ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF HER AND HER BABY. >> WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH OUR GUYS SAYING, 'WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN THIS SITUATION? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO HAVE? WHAT'S YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE?' IT BEFORE THEY GET IN BED WITH THE OTHER PERSON. THEY REALLY NEED TO DISCUSS WHAT COULD REALLY HAPPEN, AND JUST TO SEE YOU KNOW, WHERE THEIR RELATIONSHIP STANDS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? >> ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THAT MALE IS A CULTURE AND HOW WE CAN REACH MALES, UNDERSTANDING THEIR CULTURE, THEN I THINK WE CAN UH

REALLY DIMINISH A LOT OF THAT MACHO-NESS AND THE BOY CODE OR THE MAN CODE. >> THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY. IS THIS REALLY THE RIGHT PERSON YOU REALLY WANT TO SLEEP WITH? BECAUSE ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG. TRUST ME, ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG, AND YOU CAN HAVE A KID WITH HER. >> T.O.P. IS ONE OF OUR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND IT MEANS TEEN OUTREACH PROGRAM. HEALTHY BEHAVIORS. >> SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IS THE CHILDREN FIRST. >> AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE FOR YOUTH SO THAT IT CAN REDUCE RISK BEHAVIORS FOR TEENS. >> HELLO, I'VE WAITED HERE FOR YOU >> SO, DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SHARE WHY DO YOU THINK SOME OF OUR KIDDOS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BECOMING PREGNANT AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, OR BEING SEXUALLY ACTIVE AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE? >> THEY FEEL PRESSURED. >> PRESSURED?

PRESSURED BY WHO? >> BY THEIR OTHER PERSON. >> SO THEIR BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND? >> THE TEEN OUTREACH PROGRAM KIND OF GETS TO THE CORE OF THINGS, SO IT'S LOOKING AT SELF-EFFICACY, BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-CONFIDENCE, MAKING SURE THAT TEENS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE OPTIONS AND THAT THEY CAN SET HEALTHY GOALS AND MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS. >> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE YOUR AGE ARE READY TO BE SEXUALLY ACTIVE? >> NO. >> MAYBE IT WAS ONLY SEX, MAYBE LOVE. BUT I'D NEVER FELT SO WANTED, SO NEEDED. HELD CLOSE HEART TO HEART WITH REAL INTIMACY. AND NOW THERE IS ANOTHER HEART BEAT CLOSE TO MINE, BEATING A RHYTHMIC REMINDER. >> I HAVE MY PARENTS TO HELP ME A LOT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT THEM. >> I LOOK BACK AND I DON'T

KNOW HOW I'VE DONE IT, TO BE HONEST. >> I STAYED IN SCHOOL, WENT TO COLLEGE AFTERWARDS, I'M STILL IN COLLEGE. DEFINITELY HARDER IN COLLEGE WITH MY SON. >> LIKE, THE LATE NIGHT FEEDINGS AND STILL HAVING TO WAKE UP EARLY THE NEXT DAY TO GO TO SCHOOL. SO THAT WAS HARD. >> SOMETIMES I FEEL BAD. I'M LIKE SOMETIMES, I SHOULD STOP SCHOOL. BUT THEN I THINK TO MYSELF, I'M LIKE, NO, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO GET YOU SOMEWHERE IN LIFE. I'M NOT GOING TO SCRUB TOILETS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. >> I GO TO SCHOOL AT UNM, STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY. AND I WANT TO BECOME A COUNSELOR. >> I'M FINISHING MY DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING. I'M APPLYING FOR THE MASTER'S PROGRAM. >> RIGHT NOW, I'M CURRENTLY IN THE POLICE ACADEMY. >> AS A MOTHER OF A TEN-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GIRL, I HAVE STARTED TALKING TO HER ABOUT SEX. NOT ACTUALLY SAYING SEX, BUT SHE KNOWS I WAS 14-YEARS-OLD WHEN I HAD HER. SHE KNOWS THAT HER DAD WAS 15-YEARS-OLD WHEN HE HAD HER. SHE'S LIKE, MOM, I DON'T WANT TO BE 14 AND HAVING A BABY.

>> BOB AND MARY HAD A HEALTHY ATTITUDE TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AS MAN AND WOMAN THAT WAS BUILT UP STEP BY STEP SINCE CHILDHOOD. NOW, THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN. >> I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PARENTS OF YOUNG MEN THAT TALK ABOUT THE CAR OR THE VEHICLE BEING A GREAT PLACE FOR A CONVERSATION, BECAUSE THERE'S NO DIRECT EYE CONTACT WITH THEIR PARENT. >> ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR FRIENDS DOING, OR WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK ABOUT THIS? I KNOW MY DAUGHTERS HAVE OPENED UP A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT THEM. I THINK IT HAS TO BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION. WE HAVE GOT TO OVERCOME OUR AWKWARDNESS BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE SUFFERING. >> HERE'S ALL THE CONDOMS. HERE YOU GO GUYS. I'D RATHER BUY ALL THE CONDOMS THAN DIAPERS. >> YOU KNOW, SEX IS ON TV ALL THE TIME. SO I THINK THAT PARENTS SHOULD KIND OF MAKE THE BEST OF THAT AND TURN THAT INTO A CONVERSATION STARTER, USING THE CHARACTERS AND FACES

THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW FROM THE TELEVISION. >> I KNEW THAT I WASN'T GOING TO STOP HER, BUT I WANTED HER PROTECTED, AND I WANTED HER WELL INFORMED MOST OF ALL. >> I WAS NEVER TAUGHT. LIKE, MY PARENTS DIDN'T TALK TO ME ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW. I LEARNED ON THE STREET LIKE >> I'M GENE GRANT. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. WE JUST SAW THE DOCUMENTARY 'PREGNANT.' WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? IS TEEN PREGNANCY A CONCERN IN YOUR COMMUNITY, OR YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY? GET IN TOUCH WITH US ONLINE AT NewMexicoInFocus.org TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TEEN PREGNANCY HERE IN NEW MEXICO. I'M JOINED THIS WEEK BY A SPECIAL PANEL OF LOCAL LEADERS. NEW MEXICO STATE REPRESENTATIVE GEORGENE LOUIS IS HERE. JOHNNY WILSON WITH YOUNG FATHERS OF SANTA FE JOINS US. TANNIA ESPARZA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF YOUNG WOMEN UNITED IS HERE. AND DR. BRENDA PEREDA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER. NOW, IN THIS CONVERSATION, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT PREVENTING UNPLANNED PREGNANCIES, AND ALSO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IF THEY FIND THEMSELVES BECOMING A PARENT AT A YOUNG AGE. DR. PEREDA, LET ME ASK YOU

THIS VERY BASIC QUESTION AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF ALL THIS, ARE WE GIVING TEENS ENOUGH INFORMATION? WE JUST SAW IN THE DOCUMENTARY, OF COURSE, THAT SOME OF THE TEENS WERE REACTING THAT SOMETHING SOONER IN THEIR LIVES WITH A LITTLE MORE BREADTH AND DEPTH WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL. WHAT CAN WE BE SAYING TO TEENAGERS TO HELP WITH THE >> WELL, YOU KNOW, TEENS GO TO SCHOOL, AND I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF THE BASELINE. SO THERE'S VERY LIMITED SEX EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL SETTING. ALSO, TEENS HAVE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SETTINGS WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM PARENTS, SO THOSE ARE COMPOUNDING BARRIERS. AND THEN THEY GET TO THE HEALTH CENTER, AND THERE'S ADDITIONAL BARRIERS THERE. SO YOU HAVE BARRIERS ON TOP OF BARRIERS, AND IT JUST DISSUADES THE TEEN FROM GETTING THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED. AND SO I REALLY DO FEEL THAT IT NEEDS TO START AT THE SCHOOL SETTING. BUT IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE NEED TO HAVE THE POLICYMAKERS, A/K/A THE ADMINISTRATORS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, BE OKAY WITH THAT. AND SO EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER WITH TRAINED PROVIDERS WHO ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. >> WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO

SOME DETAILS OF THAT, I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THAT ON THE TABLE RIGHT AWAY. IT'S INTERESTING. JOHNNY, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AS WELL. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> DOES THAT MAKE SENSE FOR YOU, AS WELL, FOR BOYS? WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR ANGLE ON THIS, AS WELL, BUT FOR BOYS, IS THAT AMOUNT OF >> IT'S CRITICAL. FOR YEARS SEXUAL HEALTH CONTENT -- I MEAN, IT'S SPARE, WHICH IS A PROBLEM, BUT EVEN THAT WHICH IS DELIVERED TENDS TO BE FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON GIRLS, OR PRIMARILY ON GIRLS, AND, YOU KNOW, USUALLY THE GIRLS ARE MAKING SEXUAL DECISIONS WITH A MALE PARTNER. SOMETIMES WITH A FEMALE PARTNER, AS WELL, AND WE NEED TO HONOR THAT. BUT WITH A MALE PARTNER, THE MALE PARTNER NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT, AND IF WE DON'T PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION, THEY'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH THOSE DECISIONS. >> INTERESTING. TANNIA, I HAVE TO IMAGINE FOR KIDS -- WE WERE ALL KIDS, SO WE UNDERSTAND. WE GET OUR INFORMATION FROM OUR PEERS, FROM OUR FRIENDS. SOMETIMES THAT INFORMATION IS NOT QUITE CORRECT. SOMETIMES THAT INFORMATION CAN BE VERY NOT CORRECT, SOMETIMES REALLY NOT GOOD. SO, AGAIN, GETTING INFORMATION FROM OFFICIAL PEOPLE CAN SOMETIMES BE A

BARRIER. HOW DO WE BREAK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE? ACTUALLY DON'T WORK ON TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S WELL INTENTIONED, THE TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION MODEL, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A BIT MISGUIDED AND CAN ACTUALLY BE A BIT HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITIES. >> IN WHAT WAY? >> INSTEAD, WE BELIEVE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE NEED ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES, INFORMATION AND EDUCATION. THEY NEED TO MAKE REAL DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES AND LIVES, INFORMED DECISIONS. OFTENTIMES WHEN WE ASK THE QUESTION OF TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION ADVOCATES, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT TEEN PREGNANCY DO YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE OR PREVENT, AND THEY OFTEN, YOU KNOW, RESPOND WITH, WELL, THE COST OF TEEN PARENTS IS SO HIGH ON THE STATE TAXES, THE OUTCOMES OF THEIR FAMILIES ARE REALLY POOR, AND I THINK

THOSE ARE VALID CONCERNS. I THINK WE ALL AT THIS TABLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OUTCOMES OF ALL FAMILIES REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. BUT I THINK THAT WE DO A GREAT DISSERVICE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN WE UTILIZE TEEN PARENTS AS SCAPEGOATS TO AVOID ADDRESSING THE LARGER BROADER SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT COME UP WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUNG PARENTS; I.E., POVERTY, OR LACK OF ACCESS TO EDUCATION, LACK OF ACCESS TO LIVING WAGE JOBS. THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT OUR INSTITUTIONS, OUR POLICY-MAKERS, OR DECISION-MAKERS, NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR, AND WE CAN'T BLAME THOSE THINGS ON YOUNG PARENTS. >> INTERESTING. WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT, AS WELL. I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT A LOT OF THOSE. REPRESENTATIVE LOUIS, INTERESTINGLY, YOU WERE A YOUNG PARENT AS WELL. YOU HAD, I HAVE NOT A DOUBT IN THE WORLD, LIKE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE, PERCEPTION ISSUES THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH, THAT YOU HAD TO FACE DOWN. TALK ABOUT THAT, IF YOU WOULD, ABOUT BEING A TEEN PARENT AND SOME OF THOSE

CHALLENGES, PERCEPTION WISE. WELL, I GREW UP IN A SMALL RURAL COMMUNITY. I'M FROM THE PUEBLO OF ACOMA. AND I HAD MY DAUGHTER WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL. SOME OF THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF EDUCATION, THE LACK OF ACCESS. BUT IT'S REALITY, AND I THINK WE DO HAVE TO FACE IT AS REALITY. WE CAN PREACH ABSTINENCE ALL WE WANT, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, TEEN PREGNANCY HAPPENS. SO I HAD MY DAUGHTER WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THERE'S A LOT OF STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH TEEN PARENTS. THERE'S NO REAL PROOF THAT YOUR FINANCIAL OR HEALTH OUTCOMES IS A RESULT OF HAVING A CHILD AT A YOUNG AGE OR BEING CHILDREN OF YOUNG PARENTS, IT'S THE THINGS THAT SHE ADDRESSED. ATTAINMENT OF EDUCATION. BUT I WAS VERY, VERY FORTUNATE THAT MY PARENTS SUPPORTED ME FROM THE TIME, YOU KNOW, I FOUND OUT I WAS

PREGNANT, AND BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT ME WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL. SO I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME. I GRADUATED COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, IN FOUR YEARS AND WENT ON TO LAW SCHOOL. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A REAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, AND WE NEED TO QUIT THE SHAMING OF THE YOUNG PARENTS AND REALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HELP THEM, BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE MOTIVATION TO DO BETTER IN LIFE BECAUSE OF THESE YOUNG CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THEIR LIVES. >> THAT'S AN INTERESTING WAY TO LOOK AT IT. LET ME GO BACK TO YOU, TANNIA, TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN PICK UP ON THAT, AS WELL, THE IDEA OF SHAMING PEOPLE INTO SOME KIND OF BETTER BEHAVIOR VERSUS SUPPORTING PEOPLE. WHEN I SAY PEOPLE, I TALKING THE FATHER AND THE MOTHER IN THE SITUATION. TALK ABOUT THAT, IF YOU WOULD. WHY DOES THAT NOT WORK? WHY DOES SHAMING NOT WORK FOR PEOPLE, AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO OTHERWISE? >> I THINK, LIKE I SAID INTENTIONED, MANY TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION MODELS HAVE REALLY BEEN HARMFUL, ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR. EXACTLY WHAT REPRESENTATIVE LOUIS JUST MENTIONED, YOU

KNOW, YOUR LIFE IS OVER ONCE YOU BECOME A PARENT, OR YOU'RE A COST TO TAXPAYER DOLLARS. >> YES, I'VE HEARD THAT A LOT. >> AND THAT DOES NOTHING TO SUPPORT ANY PARENT AT ANY AGE, ACTUALLY. >> PROGRAMS PUT THE ONUS ON YOUNG WOMEN TO CONTROL THE SEX AND WHETHER OR NOT CONTRACEPTION IS INVOLVED, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, RIDICULOUS. I MEAN, MALE AND FEMALE TOGETHER NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. IF IT'S SEXUAL INTIMACY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THAT, IS THERE A PREGNANCY THAT COULD RESULT, AND WE'RE TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO EMPOWER EACH OTHER TO REALIZE OUR DREAMS AND OUR DESIRES, RIGHT. IT'S NOT, IT'S YOUR JOB AS A WOMAN TO TAKE CARE OF THE FERTILITY, AND WHAT MY JOB IS AS A MAN IS TO JUST BRING THE ERECTION. THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, THAT DOESN'T SUPPORT POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR BABIES WHEN THEY COME. AND, YEAH, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THE YOUNG PERSON IS

MALE OR FEMALE, IF WE'RE DISEMPOWERING EVERYBODY IN THE EQUATION, THE OUTCOMES ARE GOING TO BE NEGATIVE. >> THAT'S A GOOD POINT. >> THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER, TOO, IS THAT PARENTING IS HARD AT ANY AGE. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A MOM YET, BUT I HAVE THE HONOR OF KNOWING PARENTS WHO ARE IN THEIR 50s TO PARENTS WHO ARE IN THEIR TEENS, AND EVERY FAMILY STARTS OUT DIFFERENTLY. WHEN WE'RE ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PARENTS, WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR THE THINGS THAT ALL PARENTS NEED, LIKE ACCESS TO CHILD CARE, ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ALL FAMILIES NEED REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE SUPPORT THAT WE'RE GIVING YOUNG PARENTS, OR THAT WE'RE HOPING TO PROVIDE, IS NOT A HAND-OUT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL FAMILIES NEED TO THRIVE AND TO SURVIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. >> INTERESTING. DR. PEREDA, YOU'RE WORKING OSTENSIBLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE, PREVENTION AND CARE AFTERWARDS, CERTAINLY.

THERE'S A BALANCE TO THESE THINGS, CERTAINLY. BUT IN YOUR VIEW, WHERE DOES PREVENTION WORK BEST, AND WHERE DOES IT NOT WORK BEST? HOW DOES THAT ALL BALANCE OUT FOR YOU? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OF -- EVEN BEFORE WE THINK ABOUT THE WORD PREVENTION, THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE THIS CULTURAL SHIFT IN ALL OF THE UNITED STATES, NOT JUST FOCUSED ON LIKE MINORITY WOMEN, OR WOMEN OF COLOR. BUT A CULTURAL SHIFT ACROSS THE BOARD WHERE WE ACTUALLY -- I DON'T USE THE WORD EMPOWER, I USE THE WORD -- YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GIVE PERMISSION, YOU CO-LEARN WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY BEGIN TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME GOOD DECISIONS FOR ME. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT CLASSICALLY IN EDUCATION, IN MEDICINE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS HIERARCHICAL APPROACH. IT'S THE JOURNALISTIC VIEW OR APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE, OR GIVING, OR WHATEVER. WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT. IT'S NOT WORKING FOR US. WE'RE BECOMING MORE MULTI-CULTURAL ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS THE NATION, AND THOSE APPROACHES BEFORE

WE THINK ABOUT PREVENTION, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO START FOCUSING ON, GETTING INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND CO-LEARNING WITH THEM, SEEING WHAT THE REAL NEEDS ARE, AND LETTING THEM TELL US WHAT THE ISSUES ARE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DECIDING SORT OF THE EXPENDITURES AND SOME OF THE OTHER OUTCOMES, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE BOTH, BUT IT REALLY STARTS RIGHT THERE AT THE GRASSROOTS WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE TEENS. YOU KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN DREAM AND GET TO A PLACE OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY, OR BECOME LEADERS, BEFORE THEY EVEN GO THERE. I THINK TEEN PREGNANCY IS A RESULT OF THIS BROKEN SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE. THEN, OKAY, SO NOW THAT'S ONE PIECE. NOW IF I'M LOOKING AT A PATIENT NOW, IT STARTS WITH EDUCATING. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR BODIES. I GET A LOT OF YOUNG WOMEN, AND THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE, AND THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FERTILITY CONTROL. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO USE. THEN ONCE WE GET TO THAT PIECE, THEN WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, THESE

ARE BIRTH CONTROL METHODS WHERE IF YOU WANT TO PREVENT A PREGNANCY, YOU CAN. THIS IS THE SPECTRUM OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE AN EARLY TEEN PARENT. I AGREE, TEEN PARENTING IS DIFFICULT AT ALL AGES, BUT IF YOU COME FROM A DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF MONEY HASN'T GONE THERE FOR YOUR EDUCATION, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS RESOURCES TO WORK WITH. SO YOU'RE ENTERING THE POT AT A WAY LESSER PLAYING FIELD THAN THE REST OF AMERICA. >> INTERESTING. >> SO I THINK IT STARTS FROM BEHIND THE PREVENTION TALK. SO, HOW DO WE EVEN TREAT PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS COUNTRY. WE GET JUDGED BY HOW WE TREAT VULNERABLE, INCARCERATED, POOR, AND WE HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB OF THAT, AND IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THAT, TO THE SYSTEMS ISSUES, AND THEN WE CAN THINK WITH THE TEEN PREGNANCY ISSUE. THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES. >> INTERESTING. I WANT TO PICK UP ON THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. THIS MONTH ON PUBLIC SQUARE, OUR MONTHLY PROGRAM ON CHILD WELL-BEING, WE COVERED SEX EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO. LET'S HEAR A BIT OF WHAT WAS SHARED IN THAT SHOW. >> WE HAD LIKE A PUBERTY

CLASS, ABOUT LIKE -- IT WAS A MATURATION CLASS FOR 45 MINUTES. AND I THINK THEY'RE GETTING TO THE POINT NOW, LIKE IN 8th GRADE, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT REALLY, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING. >> THAT WAS FROM THE LATEST EDITION OF PUBLIC SQUARE ON NEW MEXICO PBS. COMMUNITY LEADERS AND YOUNG ABOUT SEX EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO. YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ONLINE. WE PUT A LINK AT NewMexicoInFocus.org. REPRESENTATIVE LOUIS, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. THERE'S BEEN SOME LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY. WE HAD A LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT RECENTLY ABOUT TEEN PREGNANCY HERE IN NEW MEXICO. I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR REACTION TO THAT REPORT, AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IN THE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS >> I THINK THE REPORT WAS RELEASED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN MAY INDICATING THAT THERE'S BEEN A STEADY DECLINE IN TEEN PREGNANCIES. I THINK IT WAS 35% OVER THE LAST DECADE. BUT STILL, PUTTING US AS ONE OF THE TOP STATES, IF NOT THE TOP STATE, FOR TEEN PREGNANCIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE JUST TAKEAWAYS. BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY TEEN PARENTS, IT WAS REALLY CRUCIAL THAT WE PASS LEGISLATION IN 2013 WHICH ALLOWED TEEN MOTHERS TO HAVE TEN DAYS OFF AFTER THEY HAD THEIR CHILD, OR HER CHILD. ALSO PROVIDED FOUR ADDITIONAL DAYS OF EXCUSED ABSENCES SO THAT SHE CAN TAKE OFF DAYS RELATING TO MEDICAL CARE, OR TO THE CHILD'S MEDICAL CARE. AND ALSO, ALLOWED -- OR ACTUALLY, REQUIRED THE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE THE AMOUNT OF DAYS THAT THE PARENT WAS ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, THAT AMOUNT OF DAYS TO MAKE UP HOMEWORK THAT WAS MISSED DURING THAT TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS REALLY CRITICAL. WE HAVE TITLE 9, WHICH I KNOW THE SOUTHWEST WOMENS LAW CLINIC DID A SURVEY OF 117 NEW MEXICO DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS AND FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH, I THINK THE

NUMBER WAS 65% OF THE SCHOOLS HAD LANGUAGE REGARDING STUDENTS' RIGHTS, YOU HAVE THE OTHER 35% THAT DID NOT, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE RIGHTS IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. SO WE ALSO FOUND, OR AT LEAST THE SOUTHWEST WOMENS LAW CLINIC FOUND THAT ONLY 35% OF THOSE SAME SCHOOLS INDICATED THE PARENTAL LEAVES, AND THEN THE OTHER 65% DID NOT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE AS FAR AS EDUCATING OUR KIDS AND EDUCATING ADMINISTRATORS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY INFORM STUDENTS OF THEIR RIGHTS. SO I THINK THAT'S VERY CRUCIAL AT THIS POINT. >> TANNIA, YOUNG WOMEN UNITED WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THIS LEGISLATION TOGETHER. MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU WERE BASICALLY TAKING THE REALITY OF WHAT FOLKS WERE TELLING YOU WE NEED TO HAVE HAPPEN TO MAKE MY OUTCOME SUCCESSFUL HERE.

TALK ABOUT THAT IF YOU WOULD, BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE HEAR THINGS LIKE A COUPLE DAYS HERE AND THERE FOR LEAVE, AND THEY THINK, WHY DO WE NEED TO DO THIS? BUT THOSE KIND OF THINGS CAN BE VERY CRITICAL TOWARDS SUCCESS. CRITICAL, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY SPEAK TO THE REALITY THAT YOUNG PARENTS ARE FACING IN THEIR SCHOOLS. WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO WORK ON THIS LEGISLATION IN COLLABORATION WITH NEW MEXICO GRADS AND THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUNG PARENTS, THEMSELVES. SO WHY WE STARTED DOING THIS WAS BECAUSE YOUNG PARENTS ACROSS THE STATE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG MOMS, WERE TELLING US THAT THEY WERE BEING PUSHED OUT OF SCHOOL. SO BEING MARKED TRUANT OR ABSENT FOR TAKING THEIR CHILD TO GET A SHOT, OR A CHILD WELL VISIT. WHEN A FOOTBALL PLAYER CAN GO TO AN AWAY GAME AND THAT'S AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, A YOUNG MOM CANNOT COUNT HER CHILD BEING SICK AS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. YOU TALLY UP ALL THOSE ABSENCES, THAT EQUALS AN EXPULSION.

YOU'RE OUT OF SCHOOL. SO WHEN WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC TRAJECTORY OF FAMILIES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SET UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR OUTCOMES ARE SUCCESSFUL, AND EDUCATION IS A BIG BART OF THAT. AND SO BECAUSE OF THIS, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THIS ISSUE WITH YOUNG PARENTS. WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH TITLE 9 TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG PARENTS HAD THEIR ABSENCES AND LEAVES. AND LIKE REPRESENTATIVE LOUIS SAID, THIS IS NOT A HANDOUT, IT WAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE POLICY THAT REQUIRED YOUNG PARENTS TO MAKE UP THEIR WORK, ETC. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> BUT IT'S ALREADY MAKING SUCH A HUGE IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG PARENTS. YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS LATER WE'RE SEEING YOUNG PARENTS IN LAS CRUCES, IN LOS LUNAS, IN HOBBS UTILIZING THIS POLICY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF. WE HAVE A YOUNG MOM IN HOBBS WHOSE CHILD WAS BORN BLIND, AND SHE HAD TO COME TO

ALBUQUERQUE TO SEE VERY SPECIFIC DOCTOR VISITS. WITHOUT THAT POLICY, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPELLED OUT OF SCHOOL ALREADY. SO THIS IS A REALLY CRUCIAL LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO PASS. IT'S THE FIRST LEGISLATION OF ITS KIND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT IT CAME FROM NEW MEXICO. >> THAT'S WONDERFUL. >> I HAVE PERSONALLY OBSERVED THE BENEFITS OF THIS LEGISLATION WORKING WITH YOUNG DADS AND YOUNG MOMS. EVEN THOUGH THE YOUNG DADS DON'T HAVE THE SAME ACCESS VIRTUE OF THEIR BABY'S MOM BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE LEAVE. AND I MEAN, I'VE WITNESSED IT. THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION HAS BEEN A GREAT BOON TO YOUNG PARENTS AND THEIR SUCCESS. >> INTERESTING. REPRESENTATIVE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? >> JUST QUICKLY, I WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO YOUNG WOMEN UNITED AND NEW MEXICO GRADS, BECAUSE THEY DO SUCH OUTSTANDING WORK, AND TO THANK THEM FOR PUSHING THIS LEGISLATION, BECAUSE I SAT UP ON THE HOUSE FLOOR AS A FRESHMAN

DURING THE TIME, AND I DID INFORM MY COLLEAGUES THAT I WAS SUPPORTING THE BILL, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS THAT FOR ONE SEMESTER I ATTENDED NEW FUTURES HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF MISSING ALL OF MY CLASSES AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE UP THE ASSIGNMENTS. SO BEING THAT I WAS LIVING IN ACOMA AT THE TIME, I TRAVELED TWO HOURS EVERY SINGLE DAY TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL WHILE I WAS PREGNANT AND SHORTLY AFTER I GAVE BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER. SO THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND IT SHOWS THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS, BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION, THAT'S WHEN YOU START DOING BETTER FOR YOURSELVES. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOUNG WOMEN UNITED. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE DID SEE SOME HOUSE MEMBERS STAND UP AND SAY THAT TEEN PARENTS WERE BEING REWARDED FOR ABSENCES. SO I THINK THE DISCUSSION AND THOSE IDEAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAVE TO BE CHANGED, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S A

REALITY. AND INSTEAD OF SHAMING, WE NEED TO HELP OUR TEEN PARENTS. SO, THANK YOU GUYS. >> IT'S A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE STATE. GOOD ON EVERYBODY. JOHNNY WILSON FROM YOUNG FATHERS OF SANTA FE, A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FROM YOUR ANGLE OF THIS. THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT STRUCK ME WATCHING PUBLIC SQUARE LAST NIGHT THAT WAS SAID, AND THAT WAS ABOUT YOUNG MEN RESPECTING BOUNDARIES. AND THE MOMENT SORT OF PASSED, IT DIDN'T REALLY GET TALKED ABOUT A WHOLE LOT, BUT IT REALLY MADE MY EARS SORT OF STAND UP A LITTLE BIT. I ALSO WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT NOT JUST UNDERSTANDING BOUNDARIES, BUT RESPECTING BOUNDARIES FOR YOUNG MEN. HOW DO WE START THAT DIALOGUE? IS THAT STRICTLY A MALE-TO-MALE CONVERSATION? AND IF SO, HOW DO WE GET THAT GOING INSIDE THE MALE WORLD? >> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BEING A MALE-TO-MALE CONVERSATION, BUT IT CERTAINLY ISN'T EXCLUSIVELY A MALE-TO-MALE CONVERSATION. THE IDEA OF CONSENT IS CRITICAL TO OUR DISCUSSION OF SEX AND SEXUALITY, IN MY VIEW, AND SO MANY OTHER ISSUES, AS WELL. AND, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK

TO THE OLD WAYS OF CONVERSATION ABOUT SEX AND OUR ATTITUDES ABOUT SEX. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, 50% OF PREGNANCIES IN UNITED STATES ARE UNINTENDED. THAT'S ACROSS ALL AGE RANGES. SO FOR US TO POINT FINGERS AT TEENAGERS ABOUT UNINTENDED PREGNANCY IS PRETTY RIDICULOUS, FRANKLY, AND TO SHAME THEM ONCE THEY GET PREGNANT JUST COMPOUNDS THE RIDICULOUSNESS. SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SEX IN A GOOD WAY TO BEGIN WITH. WE HEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EARLY ADOLESCENT BOYS PULLING PONYTAILS AND SNAPPING BRA STRAPS, AND WE WELL, HE PROBABLY JUST LIKES YOU, RIGHT. WHERE IS THE REAL IMPORTANT CONVERSATION? IT'S WITH THAT YOUNG MAN, THAT BOY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU FEELING? HOW CAN YOU BETTER EXPRESS THIS? HOW DO YOU THINK THAT GIRL FELT WHEN YOU DID THAT? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED HER TO FEEL? IF SO, WHY IS THAT? THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO BE HAVING, NOT

TALKING TO THE GIRL AND SAYING, JUST DEAL WITH IT. BECAUSE THEN WHAT HAPPENS? LATER ON, THERE'S SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT SCHOOL OR IN THE WORKPLACE, AND THE LESSON HAS BEEN, JUST DEAL WITH IT, AND PRODUCTIVITY GOES DOWN, AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE THEN POINT OUR FINGER AT THEM FOR. SO REALLY, WE NEED TO HAVE -- I MEAN, SEX HAPPENS. THIS IS BAD NEWS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT. SEX HAPPENS IN THE WORLD. PEOPLE DECIDE TO BE SEXUALLY INTIMATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND SOMETIMES THEY DO IT WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX, AND SOMETIMES THEY DO IT WITH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX, AND THEY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. AND WE NEED TO START, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU WERE SAYING -- INSTEAD OF SAYING, YOU SHOULD, WE NEED TO START WITH, WHAT IS IT YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF YOUR LIFE? AND MOST OF THE TEEN PARENTS I'VE WORKED WITH, I'LL JUST SAY, HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A CHILD AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE. IF I HAD EVERYTHING IN PLACE THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND ENFORCE IT, I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.

NOW THAT I DO, I LOVE MY KID AND I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN, RIGHT. BUT WE'RE NOT ASKING THAT QUESTION WHEN THEY'RE 11 YEARS OLD, AND 12 YEARS OLD, AND 14, AND 17, WHAT DO YOU WANT. WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE SKILLS IN THE SEXUAL HEALTH ARENA TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DECISIONS THEY WANT TO MAKE, AND THEN WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO REALIZE THOSE DECISIONS. WE'RE NOT. WE'RE STILL AN ABSTINENCE ONLY STATE. WE HAVE ABSTINENCE ONLY MONEY IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, WHICH IS OVERTLY SHAMING SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION. OVERTLY. AND THERE'S NO PROGRAM THAT WORKS OTHER THAN TO SHAME, AND YET WE DO IT. >> DR. PEREDA, WHERE DOES THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY FIT INTO WHAT JOHNNY IS SAYING. HERE? THERE'S GOT TO BE A CONVERSATION HERE THAT YOU FOLKS AS FRONT LINE PEOPLE -- FOR EXAMPLE, ON PREVENTION. I'M 56. THERE WAS A TIME YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS ALL ABOUT PREVENTION WAS ON US, AS MEN. IT WAS ABOUT CONDOMS. YOU BROUGHT THEM, THE WOMEN

DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. IT WAS JUST ALL OF US IN THIS CONVERSATION. BUT FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT'S A MUCH MORE NUANCED CONVERSATION NOW, ISN'T IT, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME. >> IT REALLY IS. BACK TO THE CULTURAL SHIFT. BEFORE IT WAS LIKE MALE DOMINATED BIRTH CONTROL METHODS, AND THEN WE HAD THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT AND NOW WE HAVE FEMALE DOMINATED BIRTH CONTROL METHODS. SO IF IT FAILS, IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT THIS WOMAN HAS DONE WRONG. AND LISTENING, HE'S RIGHT, 50% OF THE PREGNANCIES ARE UNINTENDED, AND HALF OF THOSE ARE WOMEN USING BIRTH CONTROL. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE WOMEN ARE DOING ANYTHING WRONG. BUT THIS CULTURE SHIFT HAS TO BEGIN WITH -- YOU KNOW, KIDS IN EUROPE, THEY INITIATE SEX AT THE SAME TIME AS KIDS IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S ACTUALLY A NATURAL THING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE SEX. SEX IS A HEALTHY THING. YOU HAVE SEX, IT MEANS YOU HAVE A HEALTHY LIFE. BUT WE HAVE STIGMATIZED SEX SO MUCH, AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE LENS THAT WE'VE PUT ON THE WOMAN TO SHAME THE WOMAN ABOUT SOMETHING DIRTY THAT THEY'RE DOING,

WHEN IN FACT IT'S LIKE THE MOST NATURAL THING ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET. SO WE HAVE THAT FRAMEWORK. BUT IN TERMS OF BEING FRONT LINE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME IN, IT'S REALLY ABOUT EVEN CHANGING THE CULTURE OF MEDICINE AND HOW WE COUNSEL WOMEN IN AN INTERACTION. I HAPPEN TO COME FROM A REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SPECIALTY, SO YOU GET LIKE EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN THAT, AND WE TAKE THE SHAME OUT OF IT BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT, IT'S A DAY-TO-DAY THING. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SEX, YOU HAVE TO SPEND THREE YEARS OF YOUR LIFE PREVENTING A PREGNANCY TO HAVE A FAMILY SIZE OF TWO. SO IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE PUT ON THE WOMAN. AND ON TOP OF IT, WE SHAME HER AND WE BLAME HER FOR EVERYTHING. THAT'S JUST GOT TO CHANGE. SO IT'S A FRAMEWORK AND IT'S A CULTURAL SHIFT IN MEDICINE, IN OUR SOCIETY, IN OUR FAMILIES. I MEAN, FOR GOD SAKES, WE'RE IN THE YEAR 2015. THAT MISOGYNY, THAT MENTALITY AGAINST WOMEN HAS GOT TO CHANGE. >> INTERESTING. >> I WANT TO SAY, QUICKLY, WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUNG MEN ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PREVENT PREGNANCY, I MEAN, THEY'RE AWARE OF CONDOMS,

BUT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT MORE WOMEN-ACTIVATED METHODS AND MAKING SURE THAT BY HELPING TAKING THEM TO THE CLINIC, BY HELPING TO PAY FOR IT, THAT THIS GIVES THEM MORE RESPECT IN THE RELATIONSHIP AND THAT THEIR DESIRES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HONORED, YOUNG MEN HEAR THIS. THEY GET STILL AND LISTEN. NOBODY HAS TOLD THEM THAT THEY HAVE ANY POWER IN THIS REALM. >> INTERESTING. GLAD YOU GOT THAT IN, IT'S INTERESTING. THE GOOD NEWS IS, AND REPRESENTATIVE LOUIS MADE THIS POINT, WE DROPPED 35% OVER THE LAST BIT OF TIME AND GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON THIS ISSUE HERE FOR NEW MEXICO. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THIS IS SOMETHING WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH HERE ON NEW MEXICO PBS. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> I'M GENE GRANT. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK FOR THIS ONE-HOUR SPECIAL ON TEEN PREGNANCY AND YOUNG PARENTS HERE IN NEW MEXICO. WE HAVE LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION AND LOCAL RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE NewMexicoInFocus.org. AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE

YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK