Trump administration cuts $67 million in funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is set to cut tens of millions of teenage pregnancy prevention grants that don’t align with the administration’s goals.

The department’s Office of Population Affairs, which designates grants for teenage pregnancy prevention, will divert $67 million to open new grants for prevention programs, a source confirmed to EWTN News.

The department will terminate 53 of 67 of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants following a department review, according to a Daily Signal report. The department reportedly described the current grants as “age-inappropriate,” “sexually explicit,” and in violation of the program’s founding statute.

Some of the current teenage pregnancy programs teach teens how to access abortion, while others promote transgender ideology or sexually explicit material.

“Under programming favored by the Biden Administration, we saw too much emphasis on abortion and too little on protecting kids,” said Kristi Hamrick, a spokeswoman for Students for Life.

Hamrick referred to various instances of programming that instruct high schoolers with sexually explicit content.

“The kind of programming that tries to separate sexual activity from marriage or from babies, who are an important reality, misses the point,” Hamrick told EWTN News. “Pretending in programming that the presence or absence of a baby is the only thing to discuss, or that contraception comes with magical guarantees, doesnʼt begin to educate teenagers.”

“Young girls being groomed by older men; sexually transmitted diseases or broken hearts are all part of this reality, which makes pushing abortion as a ‘solution’ seriously off base,” Hamrick continued.

The administration is opening up new grants for pregnancy prevention programming more aligned with its goals, promoting two new funding streams according to two notices the department listed on Tuesday, totaling $71.1 million in grants. Applications close July 26.

Andrea Trudden, spokeswoman for Heartbeat International, an organization of pregnancy help centers, noted that many pregnancy centers provide education that reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancies.

“Pregnancy help organizations serve as an important resource for young women when an unexpected pregnancy occurs, offering practical support, compassionate care, and information about the resources available to help them continue their pregnancies,” she told EWTN News.

“Many of these organizations also provide sexual risk avoidance education that encourages healthy relationships, responsible decision-making, and behaviors that reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy,” Trudden continued.

“When a teen pregnancy does occur, the goal should be to ensure that no young woman feels she has to choose between her future and her child,” said Trudden.

“Pregnancy help organizations have decades of experience walking alongside teens before, during, and after pregnancy, helping them build healthy futures,” said Trudden.

“With the right support, education, parenting resources, and community assistance, teens can pursue their goals while welcoming the life of their baby,” Trudden said.

“There are so many out there ready to help, at churches, at pregnancy care centers, and in the community,” Hamrick added.

Hamrick noted that Students for Life lists resources at their webpage, Standing With You.

“A baby represents hope and a future, and for a family, whether by birth or adoption, and we need to help teenagers understand that they are not alone, that many will help, and that this is the beginning of another personʼs story,” Hamrick said.

Source: https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/trump-admin-cuts-usd67-million-in-funding-for-teen-pregnancy-prevention-programs