The US Department of Health and Human Services recognizes the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education program as a proven effective, evidenced-based intervention that reduces sexual initiation among teens as well as other positive research findings that impact the health and well-being of youth. Heritage Keepers is the first abstinence until marriage program to be included on the federal list of approved pregnancy prevention programs (as of April 2012).
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services contracted with Mathematica Policy Research and its partner, Child Trends, to conduct an independent systematic review of the evidence base on programs to reduce teen pregnancy, STIs, and associated sexual risk behaviors. The review identified, assessed, and rated the rigor of program impact studies and described the strength of evidence supporting different program models. Findings were used to identify program models meeting the criteria for the HHS List of Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs. Over 1,000 studies of teen pregnancy programs were reviewed. Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education is now recognized as one of only 41 proven-effective programs.
To further understand the standards met by the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education study, please visit the Review Protocol used by Mathematica Policy Research and Child Trends.
Also, see how the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health answers Frequently Asked Questions (including general questions about the review, updates to the initial review, review findings, and plans for updating future reviews).