SC program aimed at preventing teen pregnancy cut...WHY?

[from September 29, 2008]

Why is it that with South Carolina's adolescent pregnancy rates on the rise after ten years of decline, funding is being cut for programs designed to alleviate the problem??

On Friday, September 26, The Associated Press published a story announcing that 40 groups who are reimbursed through the Medicaid Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Services (MAPPS) will no longer have funding by the end of this year.

Essentially, the cut will affect programs that have served the thousands of at-risk girls in South Carolina, and programs like Charleston County's Communities in Schools dropout prevention program, which receives 20% of its budget via the pregnancy prevention program.

(Please note that, of the 280 students who participated in Communities in Schools last year, none became pregnant.)

I guess we can "thank" the state budget board who requested this retrogressive move...a move that will accrue an overall loss of $90 million...a decision that will leave many jobless.

How many other effective programs will be undermined by erroneous politics? Where do you stand on the matter? What do you think?

Read the full story, then come back and comment on the TellThem! Blog.

USC Ranks 8th in Sexual Health...

Good morning,

The University of South Carolina's Gamecock Newspaper just published a really interesting article about the University of South Carolina ranking eighth out of 139 colleges in Trojan's Top 10 Most Sexually Healthy Schools.

The scores were based on factors such as HIV and STD testing, availability of contraceptives and condoms, sexual assault programs, health center hours of operation, lecture programs, website usability, and student opinions of the health center. According to the story, this is the first time student's ideas have been included in the polling process, which will hopefully help to initiate more frequent conversation about reproductive health services on campus.


Check out the story here, and leave a comment right here at the TellThem! Blog.