Choctaw Nation SMART Program

The Choctaw Nation Better Beginnings Department received a five year Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) in July 2015. The OAH Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program is a national, evidence-based program that funds diverse organizations that are working to prevent teen pregnancy prevention across the United States. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the only tribe in Oklahoma that received this grant. The Choctaw Nation Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program will be implementing an evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention curriculum in areas with the greatest needs. The counties of Choctaw, McCurtain, and Pushmataha counties have some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the state of Oklahoma. These three counties will be the focus of this grant. The Choctaw Nation Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program will be educating Middle School, High School, and Alternative Education students that attend schools in these 3 counties by using an age appropriate evidence- based Teen Pregnancy Prevention curriculum.

The Choctaw Nation SMART (Set Morals And Resist Temptations) Program began in July 2015 when the tribe secured a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health (OAH). The OAH Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program is a national, evidence-based Program that funds diverse organizations that are working to prevent teen pregnancy prevention across the United States. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the only tribe in Oklahoma that is receiving this grant at this time. The Choctaw SMART Program provides evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention education to students in areas with a great need – Oklahoma has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the United States, and the counties of Choctaw, McCurtain, and Pushmataha have some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the state of Oklahoma. Based on the evident need, the SMART Program will focus on these three counties. SMART uses age-appropriate, evidence-based curricula to teach middle school (6th – 8th grades), high school (9th – 10th grades), and Alternative Education students to set personal goals, communicate personal limits to others, and seek parental input to decisions as well as hard facts about pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention. Offered during school hours in participating school districts, SMART lessons engage students with an active learning style, games, and parent engagement on homework assignments. All participating students must have parental consent to participate, and any data collected from youth is completely anonymous. For more information about the SMART Program Contact: