Prep-2026 - personal responsibility education program

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded the South Carolina Department of Public Health $1,097,837 on October 1, 2025, under the Affordable Care Act Personal Responsibility Education Program (CFDA 93.092), a formula grant supporting youth sexual health and pregnancy prevention education.

The award funds medically accurate education for youth ages 10 to 19 on abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, with emphasis on special populations including youth in foster care, juvenile justice systems, victims of human trafficking, and youth experiencing homelessness or runaway situations. The program incorporates at least three of six adulthood preparation topics: adolescent development, healthy life skills, healthy relationships, parent-child communication, financial literacy, and career and educational success.

The grant runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in South Carolina. As a State PREP formula recipient, South Carolina submitted a letter of intent to receive this award in the funding cycle. Funded state programs must replicate evidence-based strategies that have been proven through rigorous scientific research to delay sexual activity, increase condom or contraceptive use among sexually active youth, or reduce pregnancy rates. Programs must be age-appropriate, medically accurate, and delivered in the cultural context most appropriate for the population served.