A new program provides free sexual information to your teen's cell phone.
One side says it'll help cut down on sexually transmitted diseases. Others say, it'll make it worse.
The Genesee County Health Department is touting the free texting program that provides information and answers to teens. But another group says it's encourage teens to have sex.
Mark Valacak, health officer at the Genesee County Health Department says, "One of the challenges for youth is getting the correct information, and that's one of the objectives here."
He says the new program, known as "Get Real" found at www.realtxt.org, provides valuable resources for teens who have questions. It's a free service that works with existing texting plans. It's funded by a grant from the Ruth Mott Foundation.
Valacak says, "This is the way teens like to communicate. It's very popular. It's also a way that they have some anonymity."
Judy Climer, from Flint Right to Life, says "It's not going to help teens. It's going to make our problems worse."
Climer says the texting program keeps teens from talking to their parents. However, the Genesee County Health Department says it encourages communication.
The right to life group says the groups affiliated with the texting program, like Planned Parenthood, don't have the teens' best interest.
"When a young person texts 'I think I'm pregnant,' what is the answer going to be? I didn't see any of the crisis pregnancy centers as any of the resources or anyone that would speak life-affirming encouragement to the young people."
The health department says the program does not encourage promiscuity, but rather helps those who are already sexually active.
Valacak says, "It's alarming the high number of rate as far as transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, and this is something where we want to intervene, make sure people who are sexually active are being tested. If they have any concerns, they know where to get tested."
Both sides agree that teens need to be educated, but they disagree on how to do it.
Click on the link to see the program.
