Policy Recommendation: Title V Funding
Although the effectiveness of such programing has been widely disproven, the Federal Government currently spends over $80 million dollars annually on Section 510 (b) of Title V of the Social Security Act, which funds abstinence-only education. In this policy brief, I will outline the history of federal funding for abstinence-only education, the effects of such programs, and recommendations for the future.
Under Title V, the Administration for Children and Families provides federal funds which are then matched by states that choose to offer programs that "promote abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage and provide mentoring, counseling, and adult supervision toward this end." (Section 510 (b) of Title V, 2015). These programs present abstinence as “the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems.”
After major studies disapproved the effectiveness of abstinence-only education, President Obama cut Title V funding and introduced Personal Responsibility Programs (PREP), which require educators to provide students with medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education. However, during last minute Affordable Care Act negotiations, Title V was reintroduced and funding has grown each year.
Since there are no national requirements or regulations for course material or content, states are left with a cornucopia of funding options for reproductive health and sex education programming, and the curriculum depends entirely on the views of the state, county and school board representatives. The lack of national standards, coupled with inaccurate and harmful information funded by Title V has had negative effects on both the access and equity of reproductive health education in the United States.
Research has shown that when abstinence-only strategies focus on just saying no, they leave young people woefully unprepared for the real world when the do become sexually active. This lack of information has been shown to deter contraceptive use among teenagers, thus increasing their risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. Additionally, these programs omit information about LGBT health, consent, and pleasure.
Public school is intended to act as a unifier and help students prepare for adult life, and the quality and accuracy of that education should not depend on the moral and religious beliefs of their governor or school board. While this has become a partisan issue, that should not keep us from being involved in this dialogue. Access and equity to health education varies wildly across state lines, disproportionately affecting those raised in states that refuse to teach comprehensive sex education and low-income families who lack the structural support to seek out information on their own.
After reviewing the background, effects and interest groups surrounding Title V, I recommend immediate action to once again repeal federal funding. This bill wastes tax dollars on outdated and disproven information, and it is within our national interest to ensure that our children are informed and prepared for adult life through appropriate, medically accurate, and science-based programs.
