North Country loses funding for teen pregnancy/ parenting program
The Watertown Daily Times is reporting that Planned Parenthood of the North Country New York recently lost $95,000 in Teenage Services Act funding from the state. That means the program to assist pregnant and parenting teenagers has been eliminated.
The newspaper quotes Martha Stahl, vice president of external affairs at NC Planned Parenthood, as saying the cut would help the state reduce Medicaid costs. Pregnant or parenting teenagers had to be eligible to receive Medicaid to participate in the program.
“For us, these programs were pretty self-supporting, and it was very successful, but that was the only funding to support it,” Stahl tells the Watertown Times. “It was a Medicaid program, and we could bill Medicaid for that.”
There is no longer a specific Planned Parenthood program for pregnant and parenting teenagers in the North Country, but the newspaper reports that some participants of the Teenage Services Act program have qualified to transfer to the agency’s Community Health Worker Program.
What do you think – is it a good idea to cut money for teen pregnancy and parenting programs, to save money on Medicaid?
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Sounds a bit like not getting the faulty brakes on your vehicle fixed to save on car expenses.
Doesn’t sound very pro-active.
They’ll reap what they sow…
If the state would support Planned Parenthood with more help for its family planning services, teen pregnancy rates could be lowered.
No love lost for the meat-grinding Planned Parenthood program here.
It does behoove the church and community groups to step up and take the lead on health care opportunities for keeping babies and adoption services.
The irony is that planned parenthood reduces the number of abortions by providing family planning services and lowering teen pregnancy.
What is the old slogan ? “Pay me now, or pay me (a lot more) later”.
Very short-sighted of NYS
look on the bright side, this may fix the declining school enrollment trend
Planned Parenthood does 1 in 3 of every abortion in America.
The last year data was available, they referred one adoption for every 180 abortions.
Meat grinders.
JDM – sometimes issues are complex. Planned parenthood provides both abortions and family planning services along with mammograms etc. Their family planning services result in reducing the abortion rate more than the number of abortions they provide. Thus they provide crucial health services to women and reduce the abortion rate over what it would be if there were no planned parenthood.
and – if there were no planned parenthood, not only would the number of abortions go up not down, but the new abortions would be the dangerous and illegal variety. Yes it would be nice (but monastic) if no one had sex except when they were trying to get pregnant but thats not going to happen.
JDM: Fewer unwanted pregnancies = fewer abortions.
Planned parenthood does little but provide abortions. The rest is cover.
I don’t intend on convincing you, Peter, but I do intend on setting the record straight.
Abortion is the holocaust of our time. We will be judged the same way the German population will be judged, to the extent that they knew killings were occurring, yet the convinced themselves to do nothing about it.
Somehow, many trick themselves into believing that an innocent life is not being snuffed out during an abortion.
What if you had been a German during the extermination of the Jews? Would you have convinced yourself that somehow they were “less than human” or “they deserved it”?
And to put things in a little perspective, Planned Parenthood spends 3% of its budget on abortion services– 76% goes into programs that help prevent unwanted pregnancies, and the rest goes toward supporting healthy pregnancies and preventing the spread of STDs.
Planned Parenthood’s programs help prevent more than 584,000 unintended pregnancies each year.
I saw on another thread, one of the posters likened a baby in the womb to some kind of product of evolution.
That is the kind of mind trick I am talking about.
It’s a baby.
JDM – Abortion is not the “holocaust of our time” Many of my relatives died in the holocaust. That analogy is awful and you should drop it. It is offensive. I kind of get what your point is but it is still offensive. Its also a really bad analogy.
I realize you anti-abortion guys think abortion is so morally offensive that it justifies any offensive (or dishonest) behavior on your part. But for those of us who don’t think that way, your (collective) behavior is just offensive and dishonest.
From Wikipedia:
“Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of reproductive health services in the United States, which include contraceptives and abortions, among other services.[3][4] Contraception accounts for 35% of PPFA’s total services and abortions account for 3%; PPFA conducts roughly 300,000 abortions each year.[5][6][7]”
My opinion, ?
best if planned.
Adoption over abortion.
Abortion over a life of abuse and neglect.
No more Nazi’s or i’ll have to call Godwin’s Law AGAIN!!!!
:)
Actually, JDM, it starts out as a clump of cells essentially indistinguishable from any other mammalian embryo. You remember “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” from high school? It goes through a number of stages that are really pre-human. It’s not even called a fetus until week nine, and it’s not certain that fetuses are capable of feeling pain until the third trimester.
If you believe that a human life begins at conception which JDM and myself really do believe; than abortion is pretty bad and can lead to some of the language that sounds over the top.
I would personally veer away from the blaming language in that I honestly don’t think most women and men who have abortions believe in their heart that they are killing a human life, in that regard it is different than a holocaust or a murder, I would call it terribly tragic and remarkably sad.
But anyway this program was not about abortion, they are girls who are already parents or already pregnant. I don’t know how effective the program was? Many things are getting cut right now.
Ah, JDM, I just saw your “likened a baby in the womb to some kind of product of evolution.” I have news for you. Not just the baby in the womb, but the fully adult human being — you and me — are “some kind of products of evolution.” Really.
Doesn’t mean that it’s OK to kill any old product of evolution. But it only makes sense to recognize that everything that could ever conceivably result in a human life, actually constitutes a human life. Sperm for instance. Miscarriages, for another. Or are you ready to start prosecuting women who miscarry for manslaughter?
Mervel writes: “I don’t know how effective the program was?”
Planned Parenthood says that their services “help prevent more than 584,000 unintended pregnancies each year.” Of course if you think they are evil incarnate, as JDM appears to do, you won’t believe a word they say. What was it he said? “The rest is cover.”
Well, OK. I guess the provision of contraceptives, and other family planning services is just done for “cover.” Because what really turns them on is performing abortions. Because they’re totally evil.
Or prosecute men for ejaculate that is intentionally directed to a receptical other than one intended for procreation, like the shower floor, or perhaps a tissue? Manslaughter?
The issue of when life starts, when is a zygote a “baby”, etc etc, will always be a matter of opinion, not science. It could be traced back to the moment a couple decide to engage in coitus for the purpose of procreation. Is that when life starts? or if a profilactic is used to intentionally prevent life a crime because you killed the natural course of events?
give it up. A woman should have the right to decide after the fact, and a man has the last oppertunity to prevent the whole shebang before the act.
It’s a push…. (pardon the pun)
It is not hard. Biologically a unique Life form starts at conception. Now I know that we can argue about what forms of protection that human life form deserves and when, I can see the argument about that, but when biological life starts is not a big hard deal. The question is when should it be treated as a human? I would ere on the conservative side and say it should always be treated as a human and others disagree. But you are right we could go around and around on that because we have essentially different world views.
Anyway I am sure planned parenthood does promote their own programs. That is okay but NYS saw it differently this time around and they are not anti- planned parenthood as JDM and myself are.
Mervel – the sperm and egg were completely alive before they got together. Its true that conception is the first time the two sets (fathers and mother) of chromosomes are in the same cell, but they arent any more alive than they were just before conception. they arent all that different either, and nothing similar to what they will be like a few cell divisions later.
The question when they should be considered “human” is theological – when the soul enters the body. Its an old question and not really arguable.
You guys are all over the place with your theories of when life begins, so I guess I can feel free to add mine.
Life begins at conception. We are created in God’s image. God is bigger than you or I.
One more item on God. He doesn’t want us to kill babies in the womb.
It is not a very clear article. Sounds like some duplication of service or parallel programs to micro manage funds for this niche or that niche. Who was the somebody who pulled the plug? There must be a name because we haven’t passed a new budget yet, the money was there just not spent- where did it go. Otherwise this issue would have come out last year. Why couldn’t the person name names? Watch and see how the remaining program is funded in the next budget to see if there will really be a reduction or just a transfer from program title to another.
If the folks who say taxes should be higher would put it on the table and donate, extra government funds would be available.
JDM, did God tell you that?
And next question– when does an embryo become a baby?
I’m confused. A sperm and an egg are live cells. If they came from humans they are live human cells or human life. What the so-called “pro-life” individuals want is to legally identify a ferilized human egg as a person. Although they don’t have the courage to use that language. Just how many cells do you have to have to be a person. JDM says one – a haploid sperm and a haploid egg.
“Pro-lifers’ also believe that abortion of a fertilized egg is murder but refuse to support laws that say a mother who gets an abortion is a murderer.
Lastly, when the unwanted baby is born, that is the end of the concern of many pro-lifers for that particular life. Then its just another person who doesn’t pay federal income taxes.
Hypocrits!
And next question– when does an embryo become a baby?
Here’s a pseudo-scientific answer.
Next time your in an ultrasound waiting room, ask the pregnant lady next to you what she thinks is insider her.
(and whatever she says, don’t disagree with her)
JDM, if you don’t like abortions, don’t have one.
What is wrong with this picture! As tax payers we are allowing programs to be cut. Some of these young teens get in trouble and get pregnant or they don’t know any different.
The conservative position should be that a person is human at live birth. I don’t know how any logical argument could be made otherwise.
If Jesus was not born, and not born alive, he could not be Jesus, could he?
khl: “I don’t know how any logical argument could be made otherwise. ”
How do you “logically” deal with premature babies who are taken from the womb and kept alive with the help of quite impressive medical equipment?
The “logical” conclusion would seem to be that the baby is much better off spending its gestational time in the womb, even though many are grateful for the life-saving help from the medical equipment.
The baby is no less “alive” in the womb, is it?
Well, that raises the issue of viability. Under six months gestation, less than a quarter of premature births survive. Below five months, the chances of survival are nil; the fetus is not capable of independent life. So yes, the fetus is considerably less “alive” –capable of independent life — under five months. Even at six months there is only a 50/50 chance of survival.
Miscarriages are natural abortions. Therefore God is the all time abortionist.
What takes place in the womb is millions of years of evolution in overdrive, taking place in 9 months.
A fetus is no more of a human being than a caterpillar is a butterfly.
This is not a science/logical question.
The youngest surviving baby (at least from a Google search) is 22 weeks 6 days, in 2007.
http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2007/02/worlds_youngest.html
Pete Klein:
As far as “natural” abortions. There are also “natural” deaths. I guess you would call also call God, “the all time killer”.
But, the same God who explains that life begins at conception, also explains that death is the result of sin, and God, himself made a remedy for that as well.
So, “logic” is how man-sized beings deal with concepts of life and death.
“Faith” is how we reach into the God-sized realm, and really understand things.
I guess “faith” even needs to be qualified.
Some people have “faith” in Darwinism. They believe in his theories, even to the extent that they defy other scientific laws.
Some people have “faith” in Al Gore. They believe in his findings, although he doesn’t dare debate them.
I have faith in God according to the Bible, which itself states cannot be proved scientificly. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God. He that comes to God, must believe that he is” Heb 11:6
So, I am not worried about the inability of man’s scientific inability to prove God’s existance.
JDM, where, exactly, does God explain that life begins at conception?
Pete is not far equating the womb/fetus with chrysalis/caterpillar.
The Creator has provided a diverse world, but on a nuts and bolts level, not so much.
This is off topic, but from my Biology studies days, i remember a study how many chimps that gave birth through c- section, refused the infant.
Not having given birth vaginally, they did not recognize the baby as theirs.
Maybe it was the anesthesia…..
just an odd thing one remembers.
Happy to hear that Planned Parenthood is being de-funded in every way. Hopefully their doors to abortion will close, God willing. Our tax money should not go to a corrupt and immoral industry. Planned Parenthood lies, cheats, coerces, and kills innocent babies; 1,000 each day! Wake up people this is the holocaust of our day.
Stop Planned Parenthood from preying on our teenage children now! Bring society to a higher moral level. Women deserve better than abortion. Most abortions are unwanted and many are forced and coerced. http://www.afterabortion.org Abortion damages women, men and their families. http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org for testimonies. For healing after an abortion http://www.rachelsvineyard.org
NLB, would you care to provide facts in support of your claim that “Most abortions are unwanted”? I have known several women who have had abortions, and they were most decidedly wanted– they were profoundly relieved. While I am sure that there are some women who have regrets after the fact, I seriously doubt that most women who have abortions regret them.
The links you provide say that “abortion is harmful emotionally, physically and spiritually to women, men and families.” That is simply wrong. It may be true for some, but it is absolutely not true for all. Please stop trying to force your ideas of morality on everyone. This country was founded on religious freedom. Let’s keep it that way.
JDM et al. You (and everyone else) are 100% entitled to your religious beliefs – this is a central tenant of what being American is all about. But, by extension, you shouldn’t expect others to believe the same way you do.
“Some people have “faith” in Darwinism. They believe in his theories, even to the extent that they defy other scientific laws.”
True. Some people have faith that the Earth is round and that if you jump off a tall building you will fall to your death.
Other people have faith based on stories written in a big book some 2000 years ago. I would argue that there is a difference.
I don’
t have a problem with people having religious beliefs. I do have a problem when they want the government to enforce their religious beliefs on everyone. When this happens they are behaving like the Taliban and other religious terrorists.
PP lies, they do NOT provide mammograms! They do kill unborn babies and increase them by encouraging sexual intercourse through their sex ed & contraceptives. Their “family planning” is geared towards their most lucrative blood money business – ABORTION!
The American Republic was founded on our Christian religious beliefs, read up on US History.