Dr. Michael Carrera to Receive Richard Cross Award from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

January 7, 2005

Contact:
Ellen Lubell, 212-949-4938
Emily Crossan, 917-286-1548

Adolescent sexuality innovator noted as an “inspiration” to other professionals

NEW YORK – January 7, 2005 – Today, the Human Sexuality Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, New Jersey will present its annual Richard Cross Award to Dr. Michael A. Carrera, Director of the Bernice and Milton Stern National Adolescent Sexuality Training Center at The Children’s Aid Society.

Dr. Carrera is being recognized for “work that has served as an inspiration to so many professionals and trainees in this field,” according to Raymond C. Rosen, Ph.D., Director of the Program in Human Sexuality at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Carrera founded and is Director of Children’s Aid’s celebrated adolescent sexuality and family life program, which has been recognized as one of the most effective teen pregnancy prevention programs. This program takes a holistic approach that starts with sixth graders and addresses all of a youth’s developing needs. It is structured as a six-day a week program that helps support teens, equips them to make critical decisions, helps them stay in school and helps them become successful adults. It is replicated at 22 sites in New York City and across the U.S.

The Children’s Aid program has been scientifically and independently evaluated to demonstrate its effectiveness at reducing teen pregnancies and births, encourage contraceptive use and promote abstinence. See www.childrensaidsociety.org and www.stopteenpregnancy.com for more details.

The Richard Cross Award for Distinguished Contribution to Human Sexuality Education is presented annually by the Human Sexuality Program of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Cross was founding director of the program.

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The Children’s Aid Society was founded in 1853. It is one of the nation’s largest non-sectarian agencies, serving over 150,000 of New York’s neediest children and their families with an innovative network of services that includes school- and community-based health centers, a mobile dental van, medical, dental, and mental health services, adoption and foster care services for children with severe and chronic medical and emotional problems, teen pregnancy prevention and education. For additional information on CAS’ health services, kindly visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.