Federal Funds to be Allocated for Teen Pregnancy Prevention, not Abstinence Only Education

I've been so busy following COP15 that I missed this great news!


Last week the US House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. This bill contains all of the remaining fiscal year 2010 federal spending bills, with the exception of Defense. This past Sunday the US Senate passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill by a vote of 57-35. The bill will now go to President Obama for his signature.

This is exciting because the bill contains two provisions that will positively affect the sexual health of young people.

* Congress and the Obama Administration removed all direct funding ($99.5 million) for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program. Instead the government is providing $114.5 million for more comprehensive teenage pregnancy prevention.

"This bill marks the first time since 1981 that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs will not receive dedicated federal funding in the coming fiscal year," says Jen Heitel Yakush, assistant director for public policy at Sexuality Information & Education Council of the US.

* Congress and the Obama Administration established the Office of Adolescent Health, which will fall within the Office of the Secretary at the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Adolescent Health will monitor the Community-Based Abstinence Education program.

According to the conference summary, “the conferees intend that the Office of Adolescent Health shall coordinate its efforts with the Administration for Children and Families, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other appropriate HHS offices and operating divisions.”

The Office of Adolescent Health will also integrate and coordinate a broad array of adolescent health issues, including wellness, substance abuse, mental health, and
obesity.


Additionally, for the first time in many years the US will contribute $55 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF). Funding to UNFPA was withheld during George W. Bush's administration.

Unfortunately an attempt to permanently eliminate the global gag rule - also known as the "Mexico City policy" - was passed by the Senate but pulled out during conference committee.