Resources for Caregivers, Mentors, Social Workers, and Probation Officers
CDSS Guides and Materials
The following materials are supplemental resources developed by CDSS to further assist social workers, caregivers and other adults working with foster youth and their reproductive and sexual health.
Online Sex Ed for Youth in Foster Care: Spring Break Series FLYER
A Guide for Case Managers: Assisting Foster Youth with Healthy Sexual Development and Pregnancy Prevention
Youth Brochure: Know Your Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Rights
Tagalog | Vietnamese | Hmong
Conoce Tus Derechos de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva Folleto Para Los Jóvenes
Healthy Sexual Development Resource Guide for Children’s Residential Facilities and Resource Families
Talking Points for Case Management Workers About Reproductive and Sexual Health
Frequently Asked Questions For Documenting, Protecting, and Sharing Reproductive and Sexual Health Information of Youth in Foster Care
Your Health Your Rights provides teens and adults living in California information about their sexual and reproductive health care rights. Resources and videos include common questions and information about birth control, emergency contraception, access to medical services, and your rights at school. California law requires schools to excuse students for confidential medical appointments such as those related to sexually transmitted infection testing, sexual assault treatment, pregnancy, contraception, and abortion. The website is in English and Spanish and was developed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California and ACCESS Women's Health Justice.
Kaiser Permanente offers a Health and Wellness webpage that provides a wide range of information related to reproductive and sexual health care topics:
Additional information and resources:
Talk With Your Kids promotes family communication about sex, healthy relationships, and provides some frequently asked questions.
Talking about periods? Periods are a fact of life, but not everyone feels comfortable talking about it. Sites such as Kids Health, Be Prepared, and for every child has information and talking tips on how to talk to youth about periods.
Power to Decide, formerly known as The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy produces a wealth of information and material on many topics surrounding sex education and interventions, what parents should do and say to help their child avoid teen pregnancy, and making the connection between teen pregnancy and youth in the child welfare system.
Power Through Choices is an innovative sexuality education and skill-building curriculum designed with and for youth living in foster care to help reduce risks related to teen pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections.
Sexual Development and Behaviors in Children, provided by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, is a resource tool for parents and caregivers that informs on common sexual behaviors in early childhood and middle-aged adolescents. The site provides helpful information on how to educate and respond to children about various sexual issues. An additional article worth reviewing is An Overview of Health Childhood Sexual Development.
Sexual Health Educator (SHE) Training Program is an educational and capacity-building opportunity for California educators working with youth in school, community, and clinical settings who desire to build their sexual health knowledge and education skills. The modules developed and/or vetted by experts in the field of sexual health at the CA Department of Public Health, STD Control Branch, provide training on the basic content areas in sexual health and aims to address some of the skills needed to provide comprehensive sexual health education in the classroom. The required courses are free, and most electives are free. People who successfully complete the program’s required and elective modules, will receive a SHE Training Program Certificate of Completion .
Education, Training, and Research (ETR) is a nonprofit, science-based organization that works to improve the physical, social, and emotional health of individuals and families by offering high-quality informational publications and training resources.
Making Proud Choices! is an evidenced-based 8-module curriculum that provides adolescents with the knowledge, confidence and skills necessary to reduce their risk of STDs, HIV and pregnancy by abstaining from sex or using condoms if they choose to have sex.
Making Proud Choices! (Youth in Out-of-Home Care)is a 10-module curriculum designed to empower in-care adolescents with greater knowledge and self-respect that will encourage them to protect themselves against unintended pregnancies and HIV/STD infection.
Bedsider.org is an online birth control support network for women 18-29 operated by Power to Decide, formerly known as. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, a private non-profit organization. Hear real stories from men and women who share their experiences with the different methods of birth control.
Young Men Play an Important Role in Pregnancy Prevention- read more about why initiatives to reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy should include young men. It's important that both young women and men are actively involved in pregnancy planning and prevention efforts.
The Technical Support Program of the Community Care Licensing Division offers Resource Guides to licensees as tools to help achieve and maintain compliance with licensure requirements. The following resource guides are intended for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in foster care: