On December 12, 2013, the Senate Finance Committee passed The SGR Repeal and Medicare Beneficiary Access Improvement Act of 2013 out of committee, which includes the extension of the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) for fiscal years (FY) 2015 – 2019. In addition to the five-year reauthorization of PREP as it currently exists, the Senate Finance Committee bill expands the PREP target populations to include youth at risk for being victims of sex trafficking or another severe form of trafficking.
SIECUS applauds the leadership of Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Orin Hatch (R-UT) for recognizing the critical need for PREP activities to continue across the country. With PREP funding currently supporting adolescent sexual health and youth development programs in every state and seven territories across the nation, we commend the Committee for its efforts to ensure that the important sexuality education and youth development work enabled by PREP continues into the future.
The first-ever dedicated federal funding stream for sexual health education, PREP provides states with grants to implement evidence informed or innovative teen pregnancy- and HIV/STD-prevention, youth development, and adulthood preparation programs for young people. Authorized for five years in FY 2010, the majority of PREP funding goes to state health departments, but the program also includes funding opportunities for local entities, community- and faith-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations to replicate effective programs or implement innovative methods to reach marginalized and vulnerable young people, as well as dedicated funds for the evaluation, oversight, training, and technical assistance.
In order to obtain bipartisan support for the inclusion of PREP’s extension, the bill also extends fundingfor the Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage program in its current form through FY 2019. SIECUS is disappointed that this ineffective and shaming program was also extended in the bill, but understands that the compromise proposal ensured the extension of PREP in the legislation.
While the bill progresses out of Committee, the Senate must still identify pay-for mechanisms for the legislation to make it budget neutral. Additionally, with no current PREP extension legislative proposal in the House of Representatives, bicameral negotiations early next year will be crucial for the extension of PREP beyond its current authorization of September 30, 2014.
Please contact Jesseca Boyer with any questions or comments at (202) 265-2405 or [email protected].
