An article recently published by Reading Eagle highlighted the nearly 60% decline in teen births in Berks County since the launch of Co-County Wellness Services (CCWS) Berks Teens Initiative in 2012. The news comes directly from Carolyn Bazik, executive director of CCWS during a recent Reading School District Board meeting.
By the Data
According to the data presented to the board by Bazik and Elido Francisco Jr., Berks Teens Project Director, the teen birth rate in Berks County had fallen from 455 teen births in 2012 to just 185 teen births in 2023; this is a reduction rate of 59.3%. The decline was even greater in Reading ZIP codes, with a 61.4% decrease.
The falling teen birth rate is a major accomplishment for Berks County: in 2023, the national average of teen births was 13.1 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19. In Berks County, that average is 11.8 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19.
Who is Co-County Wellness Services (CCWS)?
Co-County Wellness Services is a local nonprofit organization serving the Berks and Schuylkill Counties and is the only comprehensive HIV/STD service organization in those areas. CCWS’s prevention, screening/testing, and care services are free and confidential.
Berks Teens is an initiative of CCWS with the goal of reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections through improved education and access. Berks Teens’ success is due, in part, to the Health Resource Center located within Reading High School, as well as its Youth Ambassador Program. While CCWS provides students with reproductive health education, counseling, professional referrals and access to protective health supplies, the Ambassador Program gives students opportunities to help shape programming and outreach efforts.
Who Helps Fund This Program?
Berks County Community Foundation’s mission is to promote philanthropy and improve the quality of life for Berks County residents. The data shared by CCWS is proof that a healthier Berks County is possible. The foundation is pleased to share that nearly $486,000 in grants have been awarded to CCWS since 2012. These grants range in support of CCWS’s Berks Teens, general operations, and teen reproductive health programming. See below the list of funds that have contributed to CCWS’s mission:
- James K. and Nancy Lang Boyer Family Fund
- Bill Woolworth Memorial Fund for Berks Teens
- Arrow International Scholarship Fund
- Home Health Care Foundation Fund
- Community General Hospital Healthcare Fund
- Kim and Kevin Murphy Fund
- Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund
- Hawley and Myrtle Quier Fund
How Can I Support Co-County Wellness Services?
Programs like Berks Teens, Youth Ambassador Program, and the Health Resource Center are made possible by state funding as well as charitable donations. The future of government funding remains uncertain, and with it, the future of CCWS programming.
To support an existing fund that benefits Berks Teens, visit Bill Woolworth Memorial Fund for Berks Teens donation portal by clicking here.
Want to establish your own fund to benefit the good work Co-County Wellness Services and other nonprofit organizations do in Berks County? Email Molly McCullough Robbins at mollyr@bccf.org or call the foundation at 610-685-2223.
