alerts07abstinencefund

MCC Alert on Abstinence Funding

March-April 2007

Massachusetts Catholic Conference
http://www.macathconf.org

If the Massachusetts Legislature fails to act soon, the federal government will withdraw federal funding for abstinence education in the Massachusetts public schools. State legislators must "accept" the federal funding by including the $700,000-plus grant in this year's budget legislation, just as they did last year, to keep the the abstinence program in the middle schools alive. Planned Parenthood and its allies are aggressively lobbying legislators to reject the federal funds to eliminate any reference to abstinence in sexual education for children. The House Ways & Means Committee will release its budget proposals by April 10, so action is needed before then.

Key Points:

The Department of Public Health funded Health Futures Abstinence Program ("HFAP") uses medically accurate information to teach middle school students the importance of avoiding early sexual activity. Research has shown that abstinence education changes behavior and delays the onset of sexual activity.
The program will cost the state nothing since it is fully funded by the federal grant.
The program is optional and available to school districts across Massachusetts. During the 2006-2007 school year, over 7,000 students benefited from the program.
The program is designed to augment a school's sex education program, and in fact, these abstinence education funds are required under Massachusetts state law to "be used only in conjunction with the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education."

Your help is critical! Please contact the chairmen of the Senate and House Ways & Means Committees as listed below and urge them to include the federal abstinence grant in the upcoming budget. Your message can be as simple as "I am calling Chairman ___ to urge him to include the federal abstinence grant funds in the upcoming state budget. Our children deserve to know about the importance of abstinence."

You should also call your own state representative and state senator, and explain the situation to them as well.

Rep. Robert DeLeo - Chairman, House Ways & Means Committee - (617) 722-2990 - Robert.DeLeo@state.ma.us

Sen. Steven Panagiotakos - Chairman, Senate Ways & Means Committee - (617) 722-1630 - Steven.Panagiotakos@state.ma.us

General Phone Number for Other Senators & Reps:

617-722-2000 (ask to be forwarded to the office of your senator/representative).

Links to More Background Information:

· Talking Points on Federal Abstinence Funding - CLICK HERE (PDF)

· Teen Pregnancy Survey - CLICK HERE (PDF)

Massachusetts Catholic Conference
West End Place, Suite 5
150 Staniford St.
Boston, Massachusetts 02114-2511
(v) 617-367-6060
(f) 617-367-2767
(e) staff@macathconf.org
(w) http://www.macathconf.org

MCC-Net is a statewide initiative of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference (MCC). The MCC is governed by the Bishops of the Archdiocese of Boston, and the Dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester. The MCC is the public policy voice for the Roman Catholic Church in the Commonwealth, encouraging Catholics to write or call their legislators, and promoting the dignity of the human being. MCC-Net members support the Church's pro-life, pro-family, and pro-poor vision of social justice. Roman Catholic residents of Massachusetts are encouraged to sign-up.

Join MCC-Net online at www.macathconf.org.