Support Evidence-Based Prevention Programs

MAY 4, 2017  The recent March for Science, worldwide demonstrations by scientists and science enthusiasts to champion public funding for “evidence-based policies in the public interest,” revealed a non-partisan groundswell of support for, well, science.

This outpouring of public support for evidence-based policy is no surprise; it corroborates what we often find in polling at The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. For instance, one of our most recent polls shows overwhelming bi-partisan support among adults (85% overall, 89% of Democrats, and 75% of Republicans) to continue funding for the federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program and Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). This support transcends political lines and is also consistent across regions of the country (83% in the Northeast and North Central, 85% in the South, and 88% in the West).

A similarly wide range of organizations also recognize the value of these programs for our youth, society, and for building a body of evidence for teen pregnancy prevention. In fact, nearly 200 local, state, and national organizations have signed this letter calling on Congress to support maintaining investments in the TPP Program and PREP (and the number continues to grow).

The TPP Program and PREP not only provide high quality programs for young people in communities across the country and help us to learn what works when it comes to teen pregnancy prevention, but have also been heralded as pioneering examples of evidence-based policymaking.

“There is strong and growing bi-partisan support for using data and evidence to achieve better outcomes for children and families, and we should build on that support by investing in evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs,” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America. “Programs like TPP and PREP can help us tackle our toughest challenges by driving public dollars toward solutions that deliver the best results for taxpayers and the most vulnerable members of our society.”

If your organization promotes evidence-based programs, please consider adding your name to the letter that supports continuing this important funding. For organizations that aren’t able to advocate for funding, there are other ways to help the TPP Program and PREP. Check the Federal Policy section at: www.thenc.org

For more information, contact: Tara Mancini ([email protected])

National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy