Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Officials Denounce Trump's Decision To Cut Funding For Pregnancy Prevention Programs
The Washington Post: Big City Health Officials Decry Trump Administration’s Cuts To Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs
The federal funding was curtailed last month without explanation and without warning: $214 million for teen pregnancy prevention programs across the country. The city of Baltimore lost $3.5 million, money that Health Commissioner Leana Wen said had supported classes in anatomy and physiology and counseling in social and emotional issues related to sex for 20,000 teens, plus training for 115 teachers. She worries what the loss of funds will mean for local teen pregnancy rates, which already are twice as high as the state's and much higher than the U.S. average. (Cha, 8/9)
The New York Times: Programs That Fight Teenage Pregnancy Are At Risk Of Being Cut
At age 14, Latavia Burton knows something about teenage pregnancy. Her mother gave birth to her at 18 and couldn’t attend college because of it. And Latavia’s former best friend became pregnant at 16. So a pregnancy prevention program in eighth grade and another in her neighborhood this summer hit home. Latavia hasn’t had sex yet, and said if she were asked to she’d say, “Let’s just wait a little longer.” But to be safe, she plans to get an intrauterine device at a clinic for teenagers the program introduced her to. And since she learned that it would not protect her from sexually transmitted diseases, but that condoms would, she said she would “just go to the teen clinic and get some for free” if a boyfriend claimed he couldn’t afford them. (Belluck, 8/10)
