Join Our Teen Focus Group

Things to Know

• What is a focus group, and what will we do together?

  A focus group is a small group conversation that helps researchers understand something better. Sometimes the best way to understand something is to ask people about their experiences with it.

  You and other teens will meet in a group with a team member from Every Body Texas. We will ask you to talk about your experiences accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare as a minor in Texas — what worked, what didn’t, and what you wish was different.

• Why is Every Body Texas doing this project?

  Every Body Texas exists to increase access to safe, unbiased, and high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare for everyone in Texas. We want to understand what it’s really like for teens in our state to try to get sexual and reproductive healthcare. Your stories can help us figure out how to make care easier and better for young people.

  Your experiences will be combined with what other teens share so we can see the bigger picture. We will use what we learn to help improve access to care for young people in Texas.

• Who can participate?

  Requirements to apply:

  • 14–19 years old. If you are 18 or 19, we would like to hear about services you tried to get as a minor (17 or younger).

  • You tried to get sexual and reproductive healthcare services in Texas. You can join whether you got the care you wanted or not.

• What are sexual and reproductive healthcare services?

  Sexual and reproductive healthcare for teens can include:

  • Birth control

  • STI testing (E.g. HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomoniasis, and more)

  • Pregnancy testing

  • Access to condoms, dental dams, and other barrier methods

  • Education and counseling about sexual health topics

  • Information and counseling about birth control options

  • Plan B and other forms of emergency contraception (EC)

   

  More about birth control

  There are many types of birth control. We especially want to learn about your access to prescription birth control, which are the types that require a doctor's permission. Prescription birth control includes the pill, ring, shot, patch, implant, or IUD. It also includes the prescription emergency contraception, Ella.

• Do I need an adult's permission to join?

  If you are 17 or younger, your parent or guardian will need to give us consent for you to participate. They will do this when you fill out the form to apply.

• Will I get anything for participating?

  Yes! You’ll receive a gift card worth up to $150 based on your level of participation throughout the call.

• When and where will the focus group be held?

  The focus group will be held during an online video call in October 2025 that will last for about one hour. You will be required to keep your camera on for the first part of the call.

• Will my information be kept private?

  Yes. Anything you say in the focus group will be anonymous. Any stories we collect will only be shared in a way that cannot be linked to the specific teen who said it. Nothing will ever be shared with your name attached, and we will not tell your parent or guardian what you said.

  What you share will help us create resources that help teens like you know where to go for sexual and reproductive heatlh services. It will also help the medical professionals providing care to teens understand what young patients need to be healthy.

• Who is involved with this project?

  This project is funded by Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy supporting projects and research to improve the lives of all Americans through evidence-based policy solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. Arnold Ventures is working with us to explore how to make health care work better, cost less, and be easier for everyone to get.