Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Grant Program

Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Grant Program is sponsored by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). This program supports schools and school districts in implementing comprehensive human sexuality education content that is medically accurate, culturally sensitive, and promotes positive youth development principles.

CDPHE Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Program Small Grant Opportunity CDPHE Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Program Rolling Small (up to $5000) Funding Opportunity The Colorado General Assembly passed a Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education bill (HB19-1032), in May 2019.

This bill clarifies content requirements for public schools that offer comprehensive human sexuality education and prohibits instruction from explicitly or implicitly teaching or endorsing religious ideology or sectarian tenets or doctrines, using shame-based or stigmatizing language or instructional tools, employing gender norms or gender stereotypes, or excluding the relational or sexual experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex individuals.

HB19-1032 funded the sexual health education grant program for the first time. The program is housed in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). CDPHE acknowledges that long-standing systemic racism, including economic and environmental injustice, has created conditions that negatively affect marginalized communities, particularly people of color.

These conditions, which limit opportunities for optimal health and influence individual behaviors, are critical predictors of health outcomes. To realize a future where all Coloradans can thrive, we must be leaders in undoing policies and practices coded in white supremacy and racism that have contributed to these inequities.

The CHSE program builds upon this foundation with our commitment to taking an anti-racist and anti-oppressive approach to aid our sexual health education instruction.

Schools and districts are expected to center equity in all planning and implementation activities, especially for young people whose experiences and needs historically have not been included in this instruction (communities of color; immigrant communities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities; people who are intersex; people with physical or intellectual disabilities; people who have experienced sexual violence victimization).

Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Comprehensive human sexuality education content must be medically accurate, culturally sensitive, inclusive of a positive youth development approach, and aligned with content requirements.

“Medically accurate” is defined as verified or supported by research conducted in compliance with scientific methods and published in peer-reviewed journals, where appropriate, and recognized as accurate, objective, and unbiased by the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

“Culturally sensitive” is defined as resources, references, and information that are meaningful to the experiences and needs of communities of color; immigrant communities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities; people who are intersex; people with physical or intellectual disabilities; people who have experienced sexual victimization; and others whose experiences have traditionally been left out of sexual health education, programs, and policies.

Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education, as outlined in House Bill 19-1032, must include the following: Medically accurate information about methods to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, and the link between human papillomavirus and cancer. These methods include correct and consistent use of abstinence, all FDA-approved forms of contraception, condoms, and barrier methods.

Consent and promotion of healthy relationships. If instruction on pregnancy outcome options is provided, then it must cover all options including but not limited to adoptions, abortion, parenting, and safe haven laws. The CHSE Program is excited to announce a small funding opportunity (up to $5,000) for Colorado public schools, school districts, board of cooperative services, charter schools, or institute charter schools.

The purpose of this funding is to support schools/districts in current or future comprehensive human sexuality education. As such, eligible schools do not have to actively be providing comprehensive human sexuality education, but should at a minimum have an interest in doing so in the future.

This funding can reimburse approved activities that have happened previously (no earlier than July 1, 2021) or that are planned to occur by June 30, 2022.

This funding may be used to send school staff to sex education related conferences or trainings, community engagement around sex education, completing readiness assessments, facilitating a curriculum selection process, material needs, and other low cost needs related to current or future sex education. Suggestions are included below but other ideas and needs are welcome.

For more information about each specific example provided below, please refer to this RESOURCE DOCUMENT . Funding will be first come, first served. Funds will be awarded on a rolling basis and applications must be received no later than March 15th, 2022.

This grant is cost reimbursable only, meaning organizations must be financially able to fund expenses upfront and then request reimbursement. For any questions please reach out to Danielle Tuft, danielle. tuft@state.

co. us Which of the following describes your organization level? * Individual School School District Other What is your school or district's current implementation status?

* Not currently implementing any comprehensive human sexuality education Implementing some comprehensive human sexuality education but not across an entire school or district (i.e. in at least one grade level within a school; in at least one school within a district) Fully implementing but not yet in alignment with HB19-1032 content requirements Other Please select all that apply (there is no minimum or maximum) Other (please include brief description below) Please include brief responses (a few sentences) How will these activities support your current or future comprehensive sex education ?

* Do you feel these activities will support equity and inclusion in comprehensive human sexuality education at your school or district? If so, can you please share more about this?

Funding may include, but is not limited to: Stipends, substitute pay, salary Purchase of curricula, resources, materials, or technology Professional development and training costs Travel (in alignment with COVID-19 social distancing protocols) Incentives, childcare, mileage reimbursement for youth/community meetings Funding may not be used to plan or support instruction that does not comply with the comprehensive human sexuality education content requirements including: Instruction that emphasizes abstinence as the primary or sole acceptable preventative method available to students.

Instruction that uses shame-based or stigmatizing language or instructional tools. How much money are you requesting? * Please include specifics on how funds will be used (i.e. send 3 staff to X conference at $X/per person; purchase X curriculum for $X; provide $X/per youth/community member for participating in X number of meetings) *