[Archived] City of Alexandria to Host Virtual Community Event to Feature Annual Pregnancy Data Release and Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy

For Immediate Release: October 20, 2020

The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP) will host a virtual community event on October 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in recognition of ACAP’s 20th anniversary. The virtual event will feature an annual summary of pregnancy data by the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) and a proclamation by Mayor Justin Wilson. Teen pregnancy in Alexandria has dropped 76% since 2000 to an all time low. This reflects good choices by teens, supported by evidence-based approaches to prevention from ACAP, City agencies and community partners, including Alexandria City Public Schools and AHD's Teen Wellness Center. 

ACAP is a product of the City’s longtime commitment to teen pregnancy prevention. Two community task forces working on the issue under Mayor Kerry J. Donley in the late 1990s merged to become ACAP, and the City Council appropriated funds for an ACAP coordinator position and a public awareness campaign.

Today, ACAP and its partners engage the community with evidence-based education, training, support and programs for teens, parents, schools and youth-serving organizations, including:

• Community education on reproductive health and pregnancy prevention, puberty, parent-child communication and working with LGBTQ youth. 

• Youth leadership opportunities through the Keep It 360 Peer Educator Program, in which high school students provide service through workshops, panel discussions, “Titan Takeover” teen nights, the annual Youth Leadership Conference and ACAP’s Leadership Council.

• Youth Text Line, where teens can text the word SEX to 30644 to get answers to questions on health, relationships, pregnancy and more. 

• Free confidential services at AHD’s Teen Wellness Center on the T.C. Williams campus, including health education and counseling, treatment of minor illnesses and reproductive health services.

• Online resources for parents and teens at alexandriava.gov/ACAP.

Help prevent teen pregnancy and contribute to the well-being of youth through opportunities such as:

• Joining ACAP or an ACAP subcommittee

• Mentoring a child, youth or pregnant/parenting teen (see alexandriava.gov/Mentoring)

• Posting or distributing ACAP and Teen Wellness Center materials in community locations 

• Hosting or attending a Developmental Assets training on how to build protective factors and resilience in young people

Visit alexandriava.gov/ACAP to register for the event, or for more information about ACAP.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact maurice.tomdio@alexandriava.gov or 571.384.5244, Virginia Relay 711.