SENATE DOCKET, NO. 145        FILED ON: 1/12/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 56

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to promote healthy behaviors..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 24J, the following section:- Section 24K. The department shall establish a program of community based health and sexuality education services provided by comprehensive family planning agencies. Said program shall be designed to promote healthy behaviors among adolescents and/or guardians by providing science based health information and education.

Community based health education staff shall promote healthy behaviors within the community by providing specialized education and outreach to targeted high risk populations, parents and guardians and to staff of community based agencies providing services to young people. Said specialized education and outreach program shall include efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy; promote abstinence in order to delay adolescent sexual activity; increase parental ability to communicate with their children about healthy sexuality; and reduce unhealthy risk taking behavior among all individuals.

For the purposes of the section, comprehensive family planning agencies shall be defined pursuant to section 24E of this chapter.