The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) today released final teen birth data for 2006.  As expected---preliminary national data were released a year ago---the overall teen birth rate increased 3% between 2005 and 2006 after 14 years of continuous decline.  Again, just to make the point, after more than a decade of steady declines nationally, declines in all 50 states, and declines among all racial/ethnic groups, the teen birth rate is on the rise.

Not too good.

The NCHS report does include new state-by-state teen birth rates. If I were choosing a word to describe the state findings that word would be b-l-e-a-k.  My boss describes the NCHS data was a "four-alarm fire."  Consider the following.  :

• National teen birth rate increased 3% between 2005 and 2006
• 26 states posted statistically significant increases in the teen birth rate between 2005 and 2006 and only three states and the District of Columbia saw significant decreases.
• Teen birth rates are up among all major racial/ethnic groups.
• Teen birth rates are up in states nationwide, from California to Florida, Alaska to Alabama, Montana to Texas.

For more information and analysis, including some thoughts on what communities can do, policymakers can do, etc, go here: