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Every District resident should be able to pursue the future of their choice, including whether and when to start a family. However, unexpected teen pregnancies can pose challenges for young people to pursue those choices and add significant costs to taxpayers.

This week, AG Racine filed a friend-of-the-court brief along with 20 other attorneys general opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) changes to the funding structure of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) grant program, created by Congress to fund evidence-based programs proven effective in reducing teen pregnancy. The changes altered requirements for the program by shifting the focus to abstinence-only education, rather than evidence-based programs shown to be effective. The amicus brief is filed in support of Planned Parenthood in Planned Parenthood v. HHS, one of three lawsuits challenging funding changes for the TPP program.

Since its creation in 2009, the TPP Program has provided nearly $1 billion for state, local, and community programs that have proven to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy. Between 2011 and 2015, the teenage pregnancy rate in the District decreased by about 42 percent. The TPP program has reached half a million teens from 2010-2014 and is anticipated to reach 1.2 million more from 2015-2019. The program puts an intentional focus on communities with the greatest need and most vulnerable youth, such as those who are in foster care or live in rural areas.

The states argue that if the funding structure change stands, federal funds will be directed to less-effective or medically inaccurate programs, while other programs that have been proven to work will languish. As a result, more teens will be at risk of becoming pregnant, imposing significant additional costs on the States and their residents.

Read the full brief here.

AG Racine supports evidence-based programs for a variety of issues, including data-driven public safety efforts like Cure the Streets, ACE Diversion, and Restorative Justice.