WHO WE ARE
Decisions, Choices, and Options, Inc (DCO) began serving the youth of Middle Tennessee in 2002 with dynamic and engaging sexual risk avoidance prevention education programs in local school classrooms and community organizations. From our humble beginnings in one local school system, we currently serve public and private school as well as after-school, homeschool and community organizations in thirteen counties of Tennessee, eight counties of Alabama, and through multiple partnering agencies across the South East. Reaching over 18,500 youth and students ages 11-19 each school year, DCO effectively impacts the future of those we are privileged to serve by equipping them with necessary skills to achieve optimal health and successful life outcomes.
DCO’S MISSION IS:
We empower all youth with Sexual Risk Avoidance education by providing medically accurate programs that guide them to optimal health in every area of their lives.
We accomplish this mission through providing medically accurate, science based and primary prevention sexual risk avoidance education (SRAE) programs to youth through public and private school classroom instruction and working with community and faith based organizations to teach parent and youth programs based on the optimal health model.
Youth thrive with knowledge about the decisions they face during adolescence, the future impact of their choices, and the skills to value themselves and their future through positive options leading to success.
WHAT WE TEACH
DCO is a primary prevention, multi-layered curricula based on the sexual risk avoidance (SRA) education model. SRA is a proven effective approach in communicating the risks and negative outcomes associated with early onset of sexual behavior. Other preventative health education programs targeting youth in the area of risky behaviors such as smoking, alcohol, and texting/impaired driving are also based on the model of risk avoidance. Our desire is to see the optimal health outcomes for all youth! Avoiding the risks 100% allows them the freedom and abilities to pursue their dreams, goals and hopes for the future. This is the guiding passion of DCO’s service to all students served: impacting their lives with the skills and knowledge to reach their destination!
HOW WE SERVE
DCO partners with local public and private schools, after school programs, homeschool associations and community organizations to deliver a four-tiered direct classroom instructional model based on the grade level and course requirements. All programs align with the state curriculum requirements in each course and class we teach. All of the DCO Educators are SRAS (Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialists) certified by ASCEND, the nation’s leading SRA training institute. Our holistic approach to the health, wellness and the success of adolescents has been evaluated and determined effective in reaching teens and youth by teachers, administrators, DCO pre and post tests, and independent analysis by the University of Tennessee Knoxville (SWORPS). Students consistently share with DCO Educators the impact the programs have made on their life choices and decisions to be committed to optimal health and sexual risk avoidance. In a typical school year, DCO programs are taught to over 18,500 youth.