Obama's Budget Eliminates Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs

President Obama's proposed budget was released Thursday, May 7th.  Advocates of evidence-based prevention programs everywhere were overjoyed to see that the budget did not contain a single dollar for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.  In addition, it does contain $178 million for teen pregnancy prevention.  Seventy-five percent of that amount is allocated specifically for science-based programs that have demonstrated effectiveness in impacting the behaviors that lead to teen pregnancy.  The other 25% is set aside for "innovative" programs, which are programs that show promise, but have not yet been formally evaluated. 

For more information, see the following USA Today article:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-05-11-abstinence-only_N.htm

 

 

Allentown TV Show Tackles Teen Pregnancy

The March 26th episode of the television program, Tempo InDepth, on Allentown/Bethelem/Easton PBS affiliate WLVT tackled the issue of teen pregnancy, featuring data compiled by PCPTP and an interview with evaluation coordinator, Maryjo Oster.  The episode covers the economic and social issues involved and provides information specific to the state of Pennsylvania

To watch the episode online, click here and select the March 26th episode on Teen Pregnancy:

http://www.wlvt.org/TEMPO/TSS/tempoid.htm

 

 

Abstinence Programs Losing Hold

A recent CQ Weekly article questions the future of abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education.  A combination of factors including the mounting evdience against these programs, the country's current fiscal woes, and a Democratic Congressional majority and President call into question the sustainability of these programs and the federal funding streams that support them. 

To read the full article, click here:

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=weeklyreport-000003063688

 

 

City Schools Replace Abstinence-Only Sex Ed

A huge victory for comprehensive sex education was made Tuesday, February 24th.  The Pittsburgh school board dropped the district's abstinence-only sex-education curriculum for one that also discusses contraception and alternative lifestyles. The board voted 8-1 for the change.

For more information, see the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article here:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09056/951444-298.stm

 

 

 

Sex Education Varies by District in PA

The front page of today's Altoona Mirror featured an article on sex education in Pennsylvania and intereviewed PCPTP's Maryjo Oster.  Oster commented that shortages in money, time, and other resources as well as controversy over subject matter contribute to the lack of good, consistent sex education in schools.  She also remarked that while parents should be the first and foremost sexuality eduactors for their children, the vast majority of American parents still believe that schools should be teaching this information as well and that the data on teen pregnancy and STI acquisition indicate that whatever information young people are receiving regardless of where they are receiving it from is simply not enough. 

The complete article can be found here:

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/516153.html?nav=742