SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 24

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Linda M. Lopez

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, TO APPOINT A WORK GROUP TO EXAMINE THE NEW MEXICO HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH CURRICULUM AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHANGES TO IMPROVE THE EFFICACY OF THE PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, the federal centers for disease control and prevention has identified health risk behaviors that contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in adults; and

     WHEREAS, these health risk behaviors are often established during childhood and include tobacco use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, inadequate physical activity, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors that can contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus infection, and behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; and

     WHEREAS, concern over the health risk behaviors of youth has justifiably grown in recent years as more risk-taking behaviors have been reported in children and young people, with documentation in governmental publications showing a rise in risk-taking behaviors; and

     WHEREAS, research indicates that students who do not participate in health risk behaviors, such as drinking, smoking, fighting, suicide and suicidal ideation, are more likely to get good grades in school and make plans to go to college or some other post-secondary school after high school than are students who engage in those behaviors; and

     WHEREAS, health education is the content area that enables students to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve optimum health; andWHEREAS, research shows that young people with good health knowledge, skills and attitudes have better health status and, as adults, are better prepared to contribute to the nation's economic competitiveness; and

     WHEREAS, beginning with the students who entered the eighth grade in the 2012-2013 school year, New Mexico students are required to take a course in health education prior to graduation;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study committee, in conjunction with the public education department and the department of health, be requested to appoint a work group of stakeholders to study the current New Mexico high school health curriculum for its effectiveness and report the results of the study and any recommendations to the legislative education study committee, the governor, the public education department and the department of health before the beginning of the 2014 legislative session; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the legislative education study committee, the secretary of public education and the secretary of health.

- 3 -