say that other teens should wait to have sex, but if a teen is sexually active, that teen should have access to some form of birth control. Sixty percent of adults say teens should have access to a form of contraception. Low-income families are unable to provide their teenage children with condoms. Younger teens may also have trouble finding a way to a store to purchase condoms. If teens are unable to provide condoms for themselves, they are unable to protect themselves.Health Resource Centers, or HRC's are centers located in middle and high schools promoting safe sex. HRC's provide reproductive health information, condoms, and general health referrals to students. All students in the participating schools are taught about the importance of abstinence, but they are provided with condoms if they choose to be sexually active. Trained staff members and volunteers ~ including health professionals, educators, nurses, psychologists and graduate interns ~ provide counseling for students upon request. Students attending the junior high school also have access to condoms; however; counseling is mandatory for these students before they can receive condoms. Informational brochures can be obtained in the nurses office. Students are also able purchase condoms from vending machines located in remote places through out the school. The HRC's have large levels of administrative and staff support for its objectives. Students who used the program generally viewed the services they received favorably. Expanded condom availability, when accompanied with the proper education and information about safer sex, will increase the amount of protected sexual encounters.The Family Planning Council works with health care providers to establish counseling procedures, to train staff, collect data and develop counseling standards. The Council holds monthly meetings to share information, strategies for educating faculty and students, problems, and tactics...
