The following comes from a May 11 Santa Barbara Noozhawk article by Julie Mickelberry, the vice president of community engagement at Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties:

Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties received $240,000 in Information and Education (I&E) Program funding from the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health division of the California Department of Public Health to support evidence-based sex education programs in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

The I&E Grant will be distributed over a period of three years and is designed to reach diverse youth ages 13-18.

First year program partners include One Step A La Vez, Future Leaders of America, Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project, Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Santa Barbara School of Squash and Coast Valley Substance Abuse Treatment Center.

Last year, over 12,000 teens, young adults and professionals participated in sexual health education provided by Planned Parenthood educators in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties.