Fact Sheet: The National Coalition to Support Sexuality Education (NCSSE)

The National Coalition to Support Sexuality Education consists of over 120 national non-profit organizations which are role models in promoting health, education, and social concerns for the American youth. Coalition members are committed to the mission of assuring that comprehensive sexuality education is provided for all children and youth in the United States.

These organizations represent a broad constituency of child development specialists, educators, health care professionals, parents, physicians, religious leaders, and social workers whose combined work reaches more than 30 million young people.

The Coalition's goals are to:

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• Advocate for sexuality education policies and programs at the national and state level;

• Develop strategies for implementing sexuality education initiatives at the local, state and national level;

• Assist national organizations concerned with youth to establish policies and programs on sexuality education;

• Provide an opportunity for networking, resource sharing, and collaborating among national organizations supporting sexuality education;

• Develop strategies to address the activities of those who oppose providing children with comprehensive sexuality education;

• Host seminars on key issues in sexuality education;

• Identify the latest research, data analysis, and program evaluation materials in the field of sexuality education; and

• Strive to improve the cultural competency of materials and messages within the field of sexuality education.

Sexuality education is a lifelong process of acquiring information and forming attitudes, beliefs, and values about identity, relationships, and intimacy. It encompasses sexual development, reproductive health, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy, body image, and gender roles.

Sexuality education seeks to assist children in understanding a positive view of sexuality, provide them with information and skills about taking care of their sexual health, and help them acquire skills to make decisions now and in the future.

Comprehensive school-based sexuality education underscores and supplements the role of parents in the sexuality education of their children and reinforces the notion that responsibility and obligation for sexuality education are shared on a community-wide basis.

For more information about the National Coalition to Support Sexuality Education
Contact: Public Policy Office
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
1706 "R" Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202/265-2405 Fax: 202/462-2340
E-mail: siecus@siecus.org.
Web site in the: Public Policy area.

Coalition Members

• Advocates for Youth

• AIDS Action Council

• AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families

• The Alan Guttmacher Institute

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

• American Academy of Pediatrics

• American Association for Health Education

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

• American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences

• American Association of School Administrators

• American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists

• American Association on Mental Retardation

• American Civil Liberties Union, Reproductive Freedom Project

• American College of Nurses-Midwives

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

• American Counseling Association

• American Jewish Congress

• American Library Association

• American Medical Association

• American Medical Student's Association

• American Medical Women's Association

• American Nurses Association

• American Orthopsychiatric Association

• American Psychiatric Association

• American Psychological Association

• American Public Health Association

• American School Health Association

• American Social Health Association

• Association for Sexuality Education and Training

• Association of Reproductive Health Professionals

• Association of State and Territorial Directors of Health Promotion and Public Health Education

• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

• ASTRAEA National Lesbian Action Foundation

• Balm in Gilead

• Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues

• Boston Women's Health Book Collective

• Campaign for Access and Reproductive Equity

• Catholics for a Free Choice

• Center for Law and Social Policy

• Center for Policy Alternatives

• Center for Reproductive Health Research Policy

• Center for Reproductive Law and Policy

• Center for Sexuality and Religion

• Center for Women Policy Studies

• Child Welfare League of America

• Children's Defense Fund

• Choice USA

• Coalition on Sexuality and Disability, Inc.

• Education Development Center, Inc.

• EngenderHealth (formerly AVSC)

• Equal Partners in Faith

• ETR Associates

• Exodus Trust Archives of Erotology

• Federation of Behavioral Psychological and Cognitive Sciences

• Feminist Majority Foundation

• Gay and Lesbian Medical Association

• Gender Public Advocacy Coalition

• Girls Incorporated

• Hetrick-Martin Institute

• Human Rights Campaign

• The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality Alumni Association

• Jewish Women International

• Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ

• The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction

• Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc.

• The Latina Roundtable on Health & Reproductive Rights

• Midwest School Social Work Council

• Mothers' Voices

• National Abortion Federation

• National Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League

• National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors

• National Asian Women's Health Organization

• National Assembly on School-Based Health Care

• National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

• National Association of Counties

• National Association of County and City Health Officials

• National Association of People With AIDS

• National Association of School Psychologists

• National Black Women's Health Project

• National Center for Health Education

• National Coalition of Abortion Providers

• National Coalition of Advocates for Students

• National Coalition of STD Directors

• National Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty

• National Council of La Raza

• National Council of Negro Women

• National Council of State Consultants for School Social Work Services

• National Council on Family Relations

• National Education Association Health Information Network

• National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association

• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

• National Information Center for Children & Youth With Disabilities

• National Latina Health Organization

• National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Organization (LLEGO)

• National Lesbian and Gay Health Association

• National Medical Association

• National Mental Health Association

• National Minority AIDS Council

• National Native American AIDS Prevention Center

• National Network for Youth

• National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention

• National Resource Center for Youth Services

• National School Boards Association

• National Urban League

• National Women's Health Network

• National Women's Law Center

• Network for Family Life Education

• New York State Department of Health: Bureau of STD Control

• Office of Family Ministries & Human Sexuality, National Council of Churches

• Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

• People for the American Way

• Planned Parenthood Federation of America

• Population Communications International

• Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options

• Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

• Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States

• Shield Institute

• Society for Adolescent Medicine

• Society for Public Health Education

• Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality

• Unitarian Universalist Association

• United States Conference of Mayors

• United States Student Association

• University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education

• YAI/National Institute for People With Disabilities

• The Young Women's Project

• YWCA of the U.S.A.

• Zero Population Growth, Inc.

The Coalition's breadth reflects the widespread public support for sexuality education for the nation's youth. If your national organization is interested in joining, please contact SIECUS.