Why the federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program’s fate is uncertain (PBS)
Twice a week, a few dozen high school students shuffle into Ashley Cunningham’s sexual health education class. And while they’re seated in front of her, Cunningham, a community health educator with the Baltimore City Health Department, wants this space to feel like home.
In July, the Department of Health and Human Services mailed notices to 81 schools, public health departments and community centers that received funding through the program with an update: The grants were being cancelled, and the program, which has had an annual cost of $101 million in recent years, would be shuttered in a matter of months.
“It made no sense,” said Dr. Leana Wen, commissioner for Baltimore City Health Department. “Congress appropriated the funding that was available.”