A Program Model for Encouraging Sexually Experienced Youth to Cease Sexual Activity

Sexually active adolescents are vulnerable to adverse health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. Empowering youth to make informed decisions, specifically decisions to avoid sexual risks, helps them avoid the potential negative consequences of adolescent sexual activity and contributes to their optimal health and well-being. Programming that helps youth cease sexual activity is one approach to helping youth avoid the negative consequences of adolescent sexual activity. To encourage sexual risk cessation among youth, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), directed Mathematica to develop a program model that outlines an approach for teaching youth about cessation. We developed this model to guide policymakers, program and curriculum developers, and program implementers in creating and delivering programming to influence sexual risk cessation. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS sponsors this work and ACF’s Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation oversees it.