Family Planning Advocates Heralds Obama's New Funding for Sex Ed; Elminiation of Ineffective Abstinence Only $

ALBANY, NY (05/08/2009)(readMedia)--

"The timing couldn't be more appropriate during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month that President Obama has zeroed out abstinence-only funding in his budget proposal and established new funding for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs," said Family Planning Advocates of New York State President and CEO M. Tracey Brooks.

Brooks returns today from a three-day trip to Washington, D. C. during which she met with New York's Washington delegation seeking support for medically accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive sex education. "In addition to urging Congressional support for President Obama's plan, we'll be working at the state level to ensure the dollars flow to programs that will reach the critical masses of young people."

President Obama's budget completely eliminates funding for the Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program and the Title V Abstinence Education program for states, saving the federal government $149 million. In addition, the president's budget includes $178 million in new funding for "evidence-based" teen pregnancy prevention programs. Of that, $75 million is designated for "programs that replicate the elements of one or more teenage pregnancy prevention programs that have been proven through rigorous evaluation to delay sexual activity, increase contraceptive use (without increasing sexual activity), or reduce teenage pregnancy"; and $25 million is slotted for research and development of new and innovative strategies for preventing teen pregnancy.

Notable items in the Obama FY2010 Budget include:

-Ends funding for ineffective abstinence-only programs (CBAE and Title V program)

-Provides $178 million for evidence-based comprehensive sex education programs that prevent teen pregnancy

-Provides a modest $10 million increase in the Title X family planning program, to a total of $317 million

-Extends access to basic health care to millions more women through the Medicaid State Option Family Planning Waiver

SEX EDUCATION

"President Obama's budget makes clear that the government won't waste federal dollars on programs that don't reduce the number of teen pregnancies or keep teens healthy and safe. We applaud the president for rejecting failed abstinence-only programs that have cost our government more than $1 billion and, instead, invest in evidence-based sex ed programs that have proven to help prevent teen pregnancy," said Brooks.

President Obama's budget completely eliminates funding for the Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program and the Title V Abstinence Education program for states, saving the federal government $149 million. In addition, the president's budget includes $178 million in new funding for "evidence-based" teen pregnancy prevention programs. Of that, $75 million is designated for "programs that replicate the elements of one or more teenage pregnancy prevention programs that have been proven through rigorous evaluation to delay sexual activity, increase contraceptive use (without increasing sexual activity), or reduce teenage pregnancy"; and $25 million is slotted for research and development of new and innovative strategies for preventing teen pregnancy.

FAMILY PLANNING

"We commend the investment in women's health and the commitment to make family planning and basic health care services, including lifesaving cancer screenings, more accessible and affordable to millions of low-income women and their families," said Brooks. "Yet, at a time when health centers like ours are seeing an increase in the number of women seeking basic preventive care, the president's budget misses an opportunity to further invest and strengthen the Title X program. Title X is a vital component of the health care safety net and one of the most effective programs in reducing the number of unintended pregnancies. We will continue to work with President Obama and Congress to ensure that Title X and women's health are priorities as they move toward reform of our health care system."

President Obama's budget provides a modest $10 million increase in the Title X program, the nation's family planning program, for a total of $317 million. The Title X family planning program provides basic health care to more than five million women and families. Six in 10 clients consider a family planning center their main source of health care. However, funding has not kept pace with inflation, and more than 17 million women are in need of publicly funded family planning services. Investing in the Title X program also saves money. According to the Guttmacher Institute, taxpayers save $4 for every $1 dollar spent on family planning.

President Obama's budget also includes a provision to expand family planning under Medicaid, which would extend family planning coverage to millions more women.

Expanding family planning under Medicaid has been one of Planned Parenthood Federation of America's top priorities under its Prevention First Agenda. Also known as the Medicaid Family Planning State Option, it would simply allow states to expand their Medicaid family planning services, including cancer screenings and other preventive care, to more women in need, without having to go through the burdensome Medicaid waiver process.

The Medicaid Family Planning State Option would have a significant impact on women's health and is vital to expanding care to the millions of women who are losing their jobs and/or their health insurance in this economic downturn. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this provision would provide coverage to 2.3 million low-income women by 2014. A study by the Guttmacher Institute finds that this flexible option would help 500,000 women avoid unplanned pregnancy.

Family Planning Advocates of New York State is a non-profit, statewide organization dedicated to protecting and expanding access to a full range of reproductive health care services. It represents New York's Planned Parenthood affiliates and other family planning centers, as well as hundreds of organizations and thousands of individual members.

Posted Friday May 08, 2009 at 11:57 am by Family Planning Advocates of NYS