sexual health

Last month, California State Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) introduced a bill aimed at decreasing the rate of unintended pregnancies for the state’s foster youth. “California has undergone a significant demographic change, with a full one in four youth in foster care age 16 or older,” said Amy Lemley, executive director of John Burton Advocates for Youth, a co-sponsor of the bill.

By Amy Dworsky and Denali Dasgupta Through an interagency agreement with the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services developed and implemented a pregnancy prevention and sexual health training for foster parents, other caregivers and child welfare workers.

This article considers one aspect of access by asking whether the full complement of reproductive health care services and education a teen may need is actually available to teens in foster care system.