WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — President Obama’s FY 2012 budget proposal, released on February 14, 2011, provides much-needed ongoing support for several programs that help reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy. Highlights include:

• $120 million for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs. This would continue support at current levels for $75 million in community-based grants that replicate effective programs and$25 million in research and demonstration grants to test and evaluate innovative strategies. It maintains current funding of $10 million for technical assistance and program support, and increases funding for rigorous evaluation of programs funded under this initiative from $4 million to $8 million.
• $75 million in continued mandatory funding for the Personal Responsibility Education Program to educate youth on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. This includes approximately $50 million in formula grants to states for evidence-based programs that also help young people prepare for adulthood. The remaining $25 million provides continued support for innovative grants focused on at-risk youth, grants for Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and research, training, and technical assistance.
• $22 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s project to address teen pregnancy through multi-component, community-wide initiatives within the Safe Motherhood Project, an increase of $7 million over the FY 2010 appropriated level.
• $327 million for the Title X family planning program, an increase of $10 million over the FY 2010 appropriated level.

In addition, the President has proposed new funding to improve K-12 education and college readiness and completion to ensure that students are prepared to succeed and compete in the global economy. As the Administration and Congress work to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and take other steps to increase the number of college graduates in the United States, it is important to consider that teen pregnancy is a key reason why students drop out of high school, and unplanned pregnancy is an important factor that makes it hard for older teens and young adults to complete their higher education goals.

At a time when the nation faces a very difficult fiscal situation, The National Campaign applauds the Administration’s commitment to these important initiatives. According to National Campaign CEO, Sarah Brown, “Reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy is a cost-effective way to improve our nation’s health, strengthen education and workforce competitiveness, and reduce taxpayer costs. In particular, we commend the President’s strong support for funding evidence-based approaches. These critical and timely investments are more important than ever given that teen and unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. remains far higher than among other countries with which we compete. We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to provide continued funding for these common-sense programs that work to improve outcomes for this generation and the next.”

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