Berks Teens has announced the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health that shows a decrease in Teen Birth Rates for Berks County and the City of Reading.
After a slight uptick in last year’s data, Berks Teens was encouraged by the improvement and their part in the effort. The numbers indicate that Berks County’s birth rate is, for the first time, better than that of the US data overall, with 13.2 births per 1,000 in 2022. (see graph below.)
“Data from the state has a 2-year lag, and post-COVID, we knew that last year’s numbers were likely influenced by the pandemic and teens not having access to services like birth control or sex education,” said Executive Director Carolyn Bazik. “This year’s numbers from 2022 show a promising turnaround in the data and validates our work to educate and engage our community, in the name of decreasing teen births.”
Modeled as a collective of private and public stakeholders and as an initiative of Co-County Wellness Services, the goal of Berks Teens was to develop and implement a plan, programs, and practices to reduce teen pregnancy. Many community partners supported the initiative from its inception including United Way, Wyomissing Foundation, Berks County Community Foundation, The Kindness Coalition, and Senator Judy Schwank.
Bazik says this year’s decrease marks a milestone for the organization when looking at where the initiative began. “Since our starting point in 2012, we have reduced the Teen Birth Rate by 60.3% in the city and 56.5% in the county. These numbers support the investments made by our community partners and stakeholders,” said Bazik. “Through increased education and awareness, we are impacting the birth rate in our community, and for the first time, have dropped lower than the national average.”
Previously, Teen Birth Rates in the City of Reading were more than double the national average, revealed after a community health needs assessment in 2012. It was clear something needed to be done. Forming in 2014 as Berks Teens Matter, the goal was to reduce teen pregnancy by 40% by 2022, a goal that was reached in 2021. (The initiative changed its name to Berks Teens in 2021.)
One way the organization has helped to impact the Teen Birth Rate is through its peer education group at both Reading High School and virtually in Berks, called Youth Ambassadors. The teen volunteers are trained to work with peers and better understand things like consent, healthy relationships, birth control, and sexual health, following the principles of comprehensive sex education.
Berks Teens team developed community outreach programs, small group, and even one-on-one training support for youth, parents and trusted adults. The Teen Health Series covers topics like “Giving The Talk”, “Puberty Basics” and “Menstruation Management” and is open to anyone in the community. The team has also worked with adolescents around the community at programs like the Olivet Boys and Girls Club, Be Wise, Camp Safe Berks, and many community and partner events.
“The goal of our initiative was always to have a positive impact on our community, providing tools to support youth and the long-term wellbeing of families and communities,” said Bazik. “With the principles of comprehensive sex education, we’ve shifted our focus to include more than just prevention and risk factors. It’s very validating to see the data is reflecting our commitment and our efforts.”
