New York Rejects 'Financing Ignorance': Will DC Follow?

Today New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines announced that New York is joining the growing number of states that are rejecting the Bush Administration's Abstinence Only Program. Daines stated "The Bush administration's Abstinence Only Program is an example of a failed national healthcare policy directive, based on ideology rather than on sound scientific- based evidence that must be the cornerstone of good public healthcare policy." While the policy has been in effect for some time, Daines comments coincided with the release of the report Financing Ignorance: A Report on Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding in New York. Daines continued: "In keeping with the Governor Spitzer's progressive healthcare agenda for New York, on July 2rd the department cancelled all existing abstinence only contracts under the federal Title V program that began under the previous administration. Earlier this year, the department made a conscious decision not to reapply for funds under this program due to the increasingly rigid federal standards imposed on New York and other states that were contrary to our commitment to fully educate adolescents about the risks associated with sexual behavior." On numerous occasions, concerned DC residents have asked Adrian Fenty to unequivocally reject Abstinence-Only-Until Marriage Funding. I asked Mayor Fenty if he would reject this money at a Gertrude Stein Democrats Meeting in May 2007. A coalition of local youth serving organizations also asked Mayor Fenty to reject this money in May. The organizations that signed on to this request include: City Year Washington DC, DC Primary Care Association, Girls Incorporated of the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, The Latin American Youth Center, Metro TeenAIDS, Sasha Bruce Youth Work, Young Womens Project, and Youth Action Research Group. New York is one of eleven states that has rejected abstinence-only-until-marriage funding. The other states are California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Let's hope the District of Columbia is next.