Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education

Program Overview

Developer(s)

Anne M. Badgley, M.Ed., Carrie Musselman, Tracey Casale, and Sally Badgley-Raymond

Program Summary

Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education is a classroom-based curriculum that teaches students the benefits of practicing sexual abstinence and the risks that can be associated with sexual activity outside of marriage. Students learn resistance skills and tactics to help them practice abstinence and build relationships without having sex. The program also provides information about male and female reproductive systems, as well as sexually transmitted diseases.

Target Population

The program was designed for middle and high school students. It was tested with youth in grades 7 to 9.

Program Setting

The program was designed for and evaluated in a classroom-based, school setting.

Contact and Availability Information

For curriculum, materials, and pricing information, please contact:

Anne Badgley, M.Ed., CEO
Heritage Community Services
2265 Clements Ferry Road, Suite 202
Charleston, SC 29492
Ph: 843-654-7740 x 120
E-mail: heritage@heritageservices.org
Website: http://www.heritageservices.org

For training and support, please contact:

See above

Sample of curriculum available for review prior to purchase: Yes

Adaptation guidelines or kit available: Yes

Languages available: English and Spanish

Program Components

Program Objectives

The program seeks to enable students to understand and value the benefits of abstaining from sexual activity outside of marriage. It teaches students the related resistance skills and tactics that help them practice abstinence and build healthy relationships without having sex.

Program Content

Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education draws on 14 theoretical models (described on their website: http://www.heritageservices.org/curriculum/theory-and-methodology-training). The program consists of a five-session curriculum focused on sexual abstinence. The core components of the program are:

Sexual Abstinence: The New Revolution. This section defines abstinence and explains the benefits of abstaining from sex until marriage.
Section 2: Family Formation. This section covers anatomical information about the male and female reproductive systems, pregnancy, and births. It also discusses family goals and marriage.
STD Facts: This section provides information about sexually transmitted diseases and it discusses how to refuse sex in different settings.
Love, Lust, Infatuation: This section asks students to distinguish between love and infatuation and to identify the traits they desire in a committed partner. It discusses how to cultivate a relationship without sex.
The SAFE Plan: This section reviews a four-step plan for resisting sexual activity and includes role-playing exercises to help students practice it.

Program Methods

Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education is delivered by educators trained and certified by Heritage Community Services. Students participate through discussion, writing exercises and activities.

Implementation Requirements and Guidance

Program Structure and Timeline

Heritage Keepers can be implemented in five 90-minute sessions or ten 45-minute sessions, depending on the school or agency schedule. The program is delivered during required sessions that are on consecutive days.

Ideal group size is up to 25 students, but larger groups are permitted.

Staffing

The program can be facilitated by a trained and certified regular classroom educator or by a trained and certified guest educator provided by a service agency. It is recommended that educators have:

At least an undergraduate degree.
Genuine belief in the value of sexual abstinence outside of marriage for teens and young adults.
Acceptance that there are varying levels of sexual experience in most audiences of teens and that abstinence outside of marriage is an option for all – regardless of sexual experience.
Ability to engage teens and young adults.

Facilitators should have successfully completed training, and be willing to improve with feedback.

Program Materials and Resources

The core materials that are included with the Heritage Keepers program are a Core Required Curriculum teacher kit, which includes: a teacher and student manual; Sex, Lies, & Hook Ups: A Parent's Guide for Fighting Back; 3 STD CDs (male only, female only, and both); 30 Benefits of Marriage; Activities materials and Videos: human development, teaching demo, and 7 parent/educator videos.

Providers can request a sample of the curriculum by calling Anne Badgley, MEd, CEO at 843-654-7740 x120 or emailing her at abadgley@heritageservices.org.

The following support materials are also available:

A second level of Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education and a series of five abstinence-based character workbooks.
Books expounding upon the theoretical and methodological foundation for Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education: Sex, Lies and Hook-Ups: A Parent’s Guide for Fighting Back and Sex, Lies and Hook-Ups: A Teen’s Guide for Fighting Back.
Copies of Dr. Stan Weed's pre- and post-surveys

Additional Needs for Implementation

None specified

Fidelity

Fidelity to the curriculum content, in the order in which it is presented, is required.

Educators track content using a check list provided by Heritage Community Services in the Teacher Kit.
Consultation and on-going support related to fidelity to theory and methodology is available.
Feedback on pre and post survey progress related to mediators of teen initiation of sex can be provided to educators and program managers with improvement strategies and appropriate advanced training.

Agencies conducting an evaluation of the program must use the Heritage Keepers monitoring, evaluation and reporting services or there must be a formal agreement between Heritage and your selected evaluator.

Training and Staff Support

Staff Training:

Heritage Keepers offers two types of training:

Professional Certification Training is required when teaching Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education with government or foundation support (for example, CAE, PREP and Title V, Section 510 funding), when the program is being taught in public schools, and for any government or public school district using the program. Professional Certification Training is also required whenever the program is evaluated. Each person participating in Professional Certification Training is required to purchase a Heritage keepers® Abstinence Education Teacher Kit and must complete a multi-day professional training.
Community Authorization Training is available for any person/agency providing Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education without government or foundation support (for example, non-profits using private donations). Each person requesting Community Authorization to teach Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education is required to study Sex, Lies and Hook Ups: A Parent’s Guide for Fighting Back and then pass an authorization test before teaching the curriculum to adolescents.

Evaluation of Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education is not allowed with the second training option. This option may not be used for agencies/individuals teaching in public schools nor may it be used for agencies using government or foundation support to provide Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education. Trained persons that receive Community Authorization are not certified Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education educators. Costs related to training and staff support may be found at http://www.heritageservice.org. The readiness exam must be purchased and successfully completed prior to purchasing curriculum materials.

Technical Assistance and Ongoing Support:

Consultation and on-going support related to fidelity to theory and methodology is available. Contact Anne Badgley, MEd, CEO at abadgley@heritageservices.org or 843-654-7740 x 120 to discuss technical assistance and consultation services

Allowable Adaptations

The developer has noted the following guidelines for adaptations, and requires consultation for any further changes to the program:

Educators facilitating the program should be from the local communities represented, so they are familiar with the population, the vernacular, traditions, and mores.
The curriculum also allows educators to prepare appropriate stories that illustrate the concept being presented, and these are tailored to the audience with consideration for age, race and gender.
The stories must demonstrate fidelity to program core concepts, contents, and the theoretical foundation for the program. Guidelines are provided during the required professional training.
Any further adaptations to meet the needs of those being served must not violate CDC Generic Adaptation Guidelines at www.cdc.gov/TeenPregnancy/Docs/AdaptationGuidelines.docx and must be negotiated with and approved by the officers of Heritage Community Services.

Implementation Readiness Assessment

The review team conducted an independent assessment of the program’s readiness for implementation. This assessment is based on the team’s review of available program materials and documents. The team also requested input from program developers and distributors about the availability of implementation materials and resources.

On the basis of this assessment, the team calculated an implementation readiness score comprised of three component scores: (1) curriculum and materials, (2) training and staff support, and (3) fidelity monitoring tools and resources. The component scores are combined into a total score, which ranges from 0 to 8, with higher scores indicating the programs most ready to implement.

Curriculum and Materials

Has defined curriculum with lesson plans and/or activities?	Yes
Has defined core or required components?	Yes
Has facilitator’s guide or instructions?	Yes
Component Score	3/3

Training and Staff Support

Formal pre-implementation training (by qualified trainers) available?	Yes
Supplemental training or ongoing technical support available?	Yes
Component Score	2/2

Fidelity Monitoring Tools and Resources

Has defined logic model?	Yes
Defines fidelity guidelines and benchmarks?	Yes
Offers monitoring and evaluation tools?	Yes
Component Score	3/3

Total Implementation Readiness Score

8/8

Reviewed Studies

Citation	High-Quality Randomized Trial	Moderate-Quality Randomized Trial	Moderate-Quality Quasi-experiment	Low Study Rating	Did Not Meet Eligibility Criteria
Weed et al. 2005				Yes✔
Weed et al. 2011			Yes✔

Notes

Study Characteristics

Citation	Setting	Majority Age Group	Majority Racial/Ethnic Group	Gender	Sample Size
Weed et al. 2005	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Weed et al. 2011	In School: Middle school	14 to 17	African American	Both	2215

Notes

Information on study characteristics is available only for studies that received a high or moderate rating. Read the description of the review process for more information on how these programs are identified.

Study Findings

Citation	Sexual Activity	Number of Sexual Partners	Contraceptive Use	STIs or HIV	Pregnancy
Weed et al. 2005	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Weed et al. 2011

Citation	Details
Weed et al. 2005	This quasi-experimental study received a low rating because it did not establish baseline equivalence for the final analysis sample.
Weed et al. 2011	This study used a quasi-experimental design involving South Carolina middle school and high school students. The study compared 1,828 students from 34 schools that implemented the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education program with 387 students from seven schools that did not implement the program. Surveys were administered immediately before and after the program and again a year after the program had ended. The study found that a year after the program had ended, students in the schools that implemented the program were less likely to report having ever had sex than students in the schools that did not offer the program. The study also examined program on measures of recent sexual activity and number of sexual partners. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, findings for these outcomes did not statistically adjust for behaviors measured at baseline.

Citation

Details

Weed et al. 2005

This quasi-experimental study received a low rating because it did not establish baseline equivalence for the final analysis sample.

Weed et al. 2011

This study used a quasi-experimental design involving South Carolina middle school and high school students. The study compared 1,828 students from 34 schools that implemented the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education program with 387 students from seven schools that did not implement the program. Surveys were administered immediately before and after the program and again a year after the program had ended.

The study found that a year after the program had ended, students in the schools that implemented the program were less likely to report having ever had sex than students in the schools that did not offer the program. The study also examined program on measures of recent sexual activity and number of sexual partners. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, findings for these outcomes did not statistically adjust for behaviors measured at baseline.

Notes

Some study entries may include more than one citation because each citation examines a different follow-up period from the same study sample, or because each citation examines a different set of outcome measures on the same study sample. A blank cell indicates the study did not examine any outcome measures within the particular outcome domain or the findings for the outcome measures within that domain did not meet the review evidence standards.

Information on evidence of effectiveness is available only for studies that received a high or moderate rating. Read the description of the review process for more information on how these programs are identified.