About Bright Futures for Families

Bright Futures for Families is a project of Family Voices, developed in collaboration and with the support of the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).* The Bright Futures for Families initiative was established in 1995 to provide families with family-friendly sexual health and information and materials based on the Bright Futures Guidelines used by health professionals across the country.

Bright Futures for Families publications

Bright Futures for Sexual Health: Materials and Resources

Bright Futures for Families extends the focus of Bright Futures with a variety of materials and resources developed for families’ sex education and communities that complement Bright Futures publications and materials used by health care professionals. Families want and need materials that have the same information used by their health care provider, but written in a way that they can understand and easily refer back to when needed. These family-friendly materials:

Emphasis on Sexual Health

Sexual health takes various dimensions of human experience into account and covers a variety of subjects: knowledge of the body, body image, gender stereotypes, romantic feelings, sexual dysfunctions and disorders.

It enables readers to:

  • better understand themselves
  • establish emotional relationships that show respect for themselves and others
  • develop critical thinking and good judgment along with a sense of responsibility to their own sexual health as well as their spouse/partner
We believe that:
  • Sexual health is important to individuals, relationships and societal wellbeing.
  • Sexual behavior should never result in exploitation, oppression, physical, emotional or psychological harm.
  • Everyone should have access to accurate, high-quality sexual health information, education and services.
  • Everyone should be able to exercise his or her reproductive rights.
  • Everyone should have the ability and responsibility to control their own sexual health.
  • All sexualities should be respected and accepted.
  • Self-esteem, confidence and communication skills are very important to healthy relationship.
  • Sexuality is not merely a vehicle for individuals to satisfy their reproductive interests. The entitlement to experience sexuality should be safeguarded.

Read our articles on Mens’health and Womens’health and products meant to enhance sex life.