The RGV Can’t Afford to Step Back
The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is no stranger to adolescent health challenges. Unplanned births and sexually transmitted infections continue to affect too many young people across our region. Reducing access to evidence-based education will not improve those outcomes.
That is why the federal government’s recent decision to terminate most Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) grants is so troubling. These grants have supported evidence-based education that helps young people make informed, healthy decisions while reducing rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yet despite decades of proven success, 53 grants nationwide were abruptly eliminated before their scheduled completion. Here in the Rio Grande Valley, this decision could not come at a worse time.
While Texas has made significant progress in reducing teen births over the past decade, Cameron and Hidalgo counties continue to experience disproportionately high rates. At the same time, STI rates among young Texans ages 15–24 continue to rise, including chlamydia (6% increase), gonorrhea (8% increase), and congenital syphilis (76% increase) between 2019 and 2023.
These are not just statistics. They represent young people whose education, health, and future opportunities are at risk. They represent families seeking accurate information, parents looking for support, and communities working every day to build healthier futures for the next generation.
The solution is not less education. It is better education, stronger partnerships, and continued investment in prevention.
That is why Healthy Futures of Texas is bringing educators, healthcare providers, youth-serving organizations, and community leaders together for the 9th Annual South Texas Adolescent Health Summit, August 25–26 in Brownsville, Texas. The Summit provides practical strategies, evidence-based tools, and opportunities for collaboration to address the health challenges facing adolescents throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
At a time when federal resources are shrinking, local leadership matters more than ever. The professionals attending this Summit are committed to ensuring that young people continue to receive medically accurate, age-appropriate information and access to trusted resources that help them make healthy decisions.
Healthy communities are built through collaboration, not cuts.
The Rio Grande Valley has never backed away from difficult challenges. Together, through partnership, education, and local leadership, we can continue improving health outcomes for every young person in the Rio Grande Valley.
The need has not changed. Neither has our commitment.
