Rachel Nilsen, executive director of Pregnancy Resources of Mississippi, or PROMISS, is leading a coalition of about 15 churches, nonprofit organizations and other groups that want to help spread the message of abstinence before marriage. The group, called Jackson County Abstinence Partnership, held its first meeting Thursday and will meet monthly. Nilsen said that in 2006, Jackson County reported 342 teenage pregnancies — an increase of 78 from the previous year. Nilsen said the Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2,400 cases in 2006 for the region, and is already reporting 2,600 cases in 2007 as of the end of the October. Nilsen said both the Jackson County and Pascagoula school districts have requested that PROMISS visit campuses and teach students about the possible dangers of sex and about teenage pregnancy. Three coalition members, the Jackson County Civic Action Committee, the Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA and PROMISS recently have been awarded grants from the Mississippi Department of Human Services for more than $322,000. read more

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