Sex, Etc. -- Make a Difference for Confidentiality

Since 1996, Teen Outreach Reproductive Challenge (TORCH) has trained young people to educate their peers about reproductive health in New York. TORCH peer educators conduct workshops on issues, like sexuality, birth control, teen relationships and sexual orientation. They even do workshops with health care providers to make sure they know how to best communicate with their teen patients. TORCH is expanding its program nationally. Interested in being a TORCH peer educator or want TORCH to visit your school or youth program? Visit Prochoiceny.org/torch/ for more information.

By Brad, 17: "I knew the stats. Three million teenagers get infected with a sexually transmitted disease each year. I didn’t want to become another statistic."

As Brad knows, testing is an important part of staying healthy. The question is, would teens get tested if they had to get parental permission first?

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	Know your legal rights! Inform yourself about your state’s laws regarding confidentiality. Then get the word out to your friends.
	Find out what laws are being proposed. Since confidentiality laws affect minors, you can influence those who make the laws. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and type in “parental notification” to see what legislation is being proposed. Then write a letter to your representative or senator letting him or her know what you think.
	Join a peer education group. Click here and type in your zip code to find a peer educator group near you. Tell everyone you meet that we need to act now to protect our right to confidential health care!

When you go to a Title X clinic for health care services or counseling, your visit is totally confidential. You can find Title X clinics near you here, or by calling 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to be connected automatically to the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.

Got ideas about how to protect teens’ right to confidential health care? Share them with us.

Are you already doing something to fight for teens’ rights to confidential health care? Tell us about it and maybe you’ll be the next teen in our spotlight!