Summary
Abstinence education in human sexuality should be well funded and promoted in schools, community-based programs, and a variety of other forums. Unfortunately, Governor Eliot Spitzer’s Administration announced in 2007 that the state would not be continuing its sexual abstinence program. New York State Health Department Commissioner Daines made clear the administration’s belief that the abstinence message was not in the best interests of teenagers.

Objectives
The New York State Catholic Conference strongly disagrees with this decision, and believes that the abstinence programs funded since 1998 were contributing positively to the health of New York’s adolescents. Many of the faith-based providers of abstinence education in New York had been receiving positive program reviews over the years.

The Church strongly urges a state reinvestment in programs that teach sexual abstinence in an age appropriate factual manner, with a focus on character-building and respect for self and others. We seek to secure state and federal funds to promote abstinence education through the development and replication of sample programs, the implementation of such programs, and the promotion of abstinence through the media.

Rationale
Pre-marital sexual activity among young people represents a problem of enormous proportion and tragic implications. The societal and personal consequences of abortion, out of wedlock birth, and the devastating spread of AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases have been devastating. Effective and immediate action is needed to stop the dreadful string of consequences that flow from sexual activity outside of marriage.

Sexual abstinence is the most effective of action for our nation's youth. Indeed, abstinence is perfectly natural, and is practiced and promoted in connection with many spheres of life. Society tells young people to abstain from smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs. Yet, the media often serves up a contrary message in which premarital sex is accepted and promiscuity is touted as the norm. Sadly, our young people are too often provided the utterly irresponsible message that restraint in sexual matters is not expected.

The fundamental question is, “Do we or don't we believe that sexual intercourse is wrong for children, involving serious consequences for themselves and society?” If we do, then we have to speak in school - loudly, clearly, and unambiguously - the same message that most parents teach at home: Sex is something to save for marriage.

The 1996 federal welfare reform act implemented a new five-year abstinence education and promotion initiative in the states using federal dollars and state matching funds. Since 1998, New York State had contributed its share of $2.6 million each year to ensure that these programs are funded. In the fall of 2005, New York State began a new five-year cycle of funding for abstinence programs, yet the Spitzer Administration announced in 2007 that it was ending all abstinence programs and vacating the program.

The current federal administration is committed to ensuring that the government spend the same amount of tax dollars on abstinence programs as it does on family planning programs. President George W. Bush doubled the funding for abstinence programs in FY 2005 to $273 million. States like New York should increase their abstinence appropriations as well, especially at this time when CDC studies show unmarried teen chastity to be on the rise.

We urge New York State to continue to provide the matching funds necessary for these critical abstinence programs.