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In 2024, 5.8% of all births among teens 15-17 years old were repeat births. This has shown a reduction overall of 1.2% from 2014. While the teen birth rates have been declining, pregnancy in this age group remains a serious public health concern. It is imperative that Georgia reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy among adolescents in order to reduce the Georgia teen birth rates.

Progress: Teen birth rates have decreased both in Georgia and nationally. Georgia has made significant progress in reducing teen births and the associated personal and economic costs, but Georgia must continue to reduce the teen birth rate even further by reducing sexual activity and other risky behaviors among unmarried teens.

Unintended pregnancies, particularly those occurring very early in a woman's reproductive years, often have adverse health, social, and economic consequences for the mother and her child. Teen pregnancy and out-of-wedlock parenting are linked to poverty and welfare dependency. Teenage mothers are more likely to be unmarried, drop out of school, and rely on TANF.

Georgia Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD) Program: The goal of the AHYD program is to prevent teenage pregnancy by helping adolescents grow up healthy, educated, employable, and connected to their families and communities. The AHYD program focuses on creating the conditions that support young people’s long-term health and success. Grounded in the Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach, the program strengthens protective factors that help youth thrive. These include supportive relationships, strong community connections, and opportunities to build skills and confidence. By addressing upstream factors that contribute to or increase the impact of adverse childhood experience, the program works to ensure that all youth in Georgia have the foundation they need to develop into healthy, capable adults.

Funds are provided to local public health districts to support the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs that address the broad range of social and economic factors that affect teen behavior, including substance abuse, violence, tobacco use, obesity, and teen sexual activity.

TANF Purpose #3: Preventing and reducing the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Funding Source: Federal TANF and State MOE funds

2. Services for Children and Youth — DFCS Out of School Services

Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) Out of School Services (formerly the DFCS Afterschool Care Program) is designed to support the Georgia Department of Human Services’ (DHS) broader goal of promoting self-sufficiency and independence among families and protecting Georgia’s vulnerable children and adults. Educational attainment, positive youth development and enhanced well-being are key factors in preventing future welfare dependency among today’s youth, particularly youth of economically disadvantaged families. This program provides youth with opportunities for intellectual and social enrichment and other positive alternatives to becoming a teenage parent.

By providing funding through a Statement of Need (SON) solicitation process, DHS partners with