Iowa Gov. Culver Rejects Federal Funding For Abstinence-Only Education

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 04 Mar 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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Last week, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) announced that the state plans to reject funding for the Title V abstinence-only education program, Radio Iowa reports. Advocates, including Rhonda Chittenden, executive director of FutureNet, a teen pregnancy prevention group -- urged him to reject the funding, according to Radio Iowa. The state received $320,000 in Title V funding in 2007.

Chittenden said that abstinence-only programs are ineffective, adding that educators under Title V guidelines are restricted in the type of information they can provide students. "Research continues to show that abstinence-only education fails to delay sexual initiation, reduce numbers of sexual partners or prevent pregnancy in adolescents," Chittenden said. Chuck Hurley, president of the Iowa Family Policy Center, said teenagers are not responsible enough to use contraception and should abstain from sex (Danielson, Radio Iowa, 2/29).

Iowa is the 17th state that either is not expected to apply for Title V funding or explicitly has rejected funding. Title V programs nationwide are eligible for a total of $50 million in federal funds annually (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 1/24).

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