LOS ANGELES COUNTY: Teen Pregnancy Program In Financial Jeopardy
Funding for the Pomona-based YWCA teen parenting program is in danger of "evaporating" by year's end, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports. The three-year-old program is funded by "more than $45,000 in community block grants authorized by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors," but program director Laura Sands said the program was denied funding effective Dec. 31 "because the program does not serve all of the 1st District." Sands said, "We could not provide equitable services throughout the entire supervisorial district." A spokesperson for Supervisor Gloria Molina, who represents the district, "said the supervisor's goal is to maintain the funding for the teen parenting program through other means." Spokesperson Miguel Santana said, "We were concerned that they weren't given enough time to transition to a different funding source. We're trying to move as quickly as we can ... to see if there's any shifting of funds that we can do." The Daily Bulletin reports that Molina's office plans to "announce a decision Tuesday or Wednesday." The program is the only teen parenting program in Pomona and "works with the school district to teach self-sufficiency classes to teen parents" (Hughes- Kirchubel, 12/21). Click here for past coverage of teenage pregnancy.
This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.