Access to Services
MOASH supports and advocates for unrestricted access to safe, legal, and affordable healthcare services for adolescents in accordance with federal law.
It is the right of all people, including young people, to have the tools necessary to control their sexual and reproductive health.
Often youth are disproportionally impacted by the challenges (finances, transportation, insurance, proximity to quality care facilities, provider competence and support, etc.) that most people face in seeking care, and they also face unique challenges as minors regarding confidentiality and parental consent.
Photo Credit: Inclusive Stock Photography Collection. Adolescent Health Initiative. Photographer Bryan McCullough. 2024
Violence Prevention
MOASH works to promote a culture of safety and respect by championing policies for gender equity, as well as clear consent communication in sexual relationships.
We support many efforts around sexual assault prevention, awareness, and services for survivors; consent-inclusive sexual health education; affirmative consent policies; anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies related to sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), or marital or parental status; and more.
Sex Education
MOASH supports the implementation of medically accurate, evidence-informed, age-appropriate, and comprehensive sexual health education in schools that is inclusive and affirming of all sexual identities.
Youth have the right to accurate and complete information in order to be able to make informed decisions about their own sexual and reproductive health.
MOASH believes sexual health education starts at birth and is a lifelong learning process that respects cultural norms, values, and beliefs.
Infographics and Toolkits
A Guide to Combating Youth Hate Crimes & Identity Bullying in Michigan
A guide created by MOASH's Michigan Youth Racial Equity Council (MY REC) designed to provide educators, youth-serving organizations,
youth advocates, and youth themselves with the knowledge and resources
to understand and address hate crimes and identity-based bullying.
A Health Educator's Guide to Sex Education in Michigan K-12 Schools
An overview of how sex
education content is
determined and approved and
how you can be an effective
health educator in Michigan
public schools
A Parent's Guide to Sex Education in Michigan K-12 Schools
An overview of how sex education content is determined and approved and how you can get involved in public schools in Michigan
A Sex Education Advisory Board Member's Guide to Sex Education in Michigan K-12 Schools
An overview of how sex education content is determined and approved and how you can be an effective advocate for comprehensive sex education in Michigan public schools
A Young Person's Guide to Abortion in MI
A Young Person's Guide to Abortion in MI: The Basics
Bias Incident Response Best Practices
A document to provide guidance for schools as they work to maintain a safe, inclusive and affirming learning environment by highlighting mechanisms by which they can recognize, report and respond to bias incidents .
Expectant and Parenting Youth Inclusivity Toolkit
A guide for adults - service providers, teachers, relatives, and others - about how to make their environments and interactions welcoming and supportive of young parents
Family Communication Resource Guide
Research shows that it is important for parents/ caregivers to have knowledge about their
adolescent child's activities, social contacts, and location, as well as having clear parenting rules and supervision. We also know that young people have the right to autonomy and independence. We know these are conversations that can be complicated and families have different dynamics - this is a tool to help with the ongoing process. This resource is not designed as an "end all be all," but rather as a starting point for a lifelong process to promote healthy communication.
Finding Good Sexual Health Information Online
A guide to searching for sexual health websites for young people
Genesee County Youth Resource Guide
Sponsored by the Genesee Intermediate School District and the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH)
Guide for Teens: Talking with Parents &/or Trusted Adults About Sex
A guide for teens figuring out how and who to talk about sex to.
Guide to Gender Affirming Care in MI
Below are some rights MI youth have, as well as some challenges they
may face in accessing gender-affirming services.
If You Care About Preventing Sexual Violence in Michigan, Then You Should Care About Sex Ed
This document, created for an event connecting professionals working in sexual violence prevention, highlights why sex ed is crucial for sexual violence prevention.
K-5 Consent Toolkit Explanation
1 Page explanation of the K-5 Consent Toolkit
K-5 Consent Toolkit Full
This toolkit, designed in collaboration with local and statewide organizations, schools, parents, and students, led by MOASH, guides educators, parents, care- givers, and students through choosing appropriate consent-related curriculum and resources for their classrooms, districts, and households.
LGBQ Youth and Pregnancy
Information about LGBQ Pregnancy
LGBTQIA+ Inclusivity Toolkit
The purpose of this toolkit is to provide support, strategies, and resources for Michigan health teachers who want to make their sex education lessons more inclusive for all students, particularly LGBTQIA+ youth.
LGBTQIA+ Student Advocacy Resource Guide
The purpose of this guide is to equip LGBTQ+ students with the necessary tools, resources, and knowledge to effectively advocate for themselves when faced with discrimination, non-compliance with state standards, or unequal treatment within their schools.
MI-APPP Makes a Difference For Young Parents in Michigan
The goal of MI-APPP is to create an integrated system of care, including linkages to support services, for pregnant and parenting adolescents 15-19 years of age and their families.
MYPAD Toolkit
The purpose of this toolkit is to help you plan and implement an awareness day to celebrate and support the young parents in our state. These parents are working toward their personal goals while building happy, healthy, and thriving families. This toolkit is intended to provide support and materials that can be modified to meet the needs of your audience.
Michigan Youth Healthcare Access Resource Toolkit
A Guide to Navigating Healthcare for Adolescents ad Young Adults
Parents' and Trusted Adults' Guide to Youth Sexual Health Rights
In Michigan, minors (young people under 18) have privacy and access rights related to their sexual and reproductive health!
Sexual Assault Prevention
A guide to making an impact on sexual assault at the individual, community, and institutional level.
Supporting Trans Students
Talking About Title IX: A Resource For Parents and Teachers of Students Ages 5-7
A resource for parents and teachers of students age 5-7
Teen Parent Rights: Education
What do I need to know about my education rights?
Teen Parent Rights: Healthcare
What do I need to
know about my
healthcare rights?
Teen Parent Rights: Parenting
What do I need to know about my parenting rights?
Three Things You Should Know About Sexual Assault and Consent
Rape and sexual assault is an underreported crime, but considering additional barriers that LGBTQ+ students can face, this number could be a lot higher.
Title IX: Understanding Your Rights at School
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that protects
students from discrimination based on gender in federally funded education programs, like public schools and private schools that accept federal money
Tri-County Community Health Guide
Guide released by the Eaton Regional Education Service Agency
Understanding and Avoiding the "Queen Bee" Phenomenon
The Queen Bee Phenomenon is a response to the negative stereotypes and discrimination self identified women, including cisgender, transgender, and others who present female, encounter during their academic and professional work.
What You Should Know About The HPV Vaccine
HPV at a Glance
What's the deal with dress codes?
A guide to decoding and writing dress codes
What's up with GSAs?
Learn what are GSAs, what they can do, and how to start one with this intro infographic!
Stay in the know about young people's rights.
Want to know what's going on in the policy realm with adolescent sexual health in Michigan? Curious to know where MOASH stands on the issues? Check out MOASH's Policy Positions and legislative trackers below!
Policy Positions
Check the status of the legislation we're watching about...
These documents have been developed by MOASH as part of our mission to educate our communities about policies and legislation that will impact adolescent sexual health (ASH) in the state of Michigan. These are living documents that will be updated at regular intervals to reflect the latest happenings on proposals related to ASH. Source material for legislation, including the official text and interpretation/analysis, can be found at www.legislature.mi.gov and michiganvotes.org.