Fighting teen pregnancy

[timesjoke]

A dollar a day keeps the babies away.

 

That's the incentive behind College Bound Sisters, a program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro that aims to keep 12- to 18-year-old girls in school and baby-free.

 

Girls in the program attend 90-minute meetings every week at which they receive lessons in abstinence and the use of contraceptives ? and they receive $7 every week they do not get pregnant. The money is deposited into a fund that's collectible when they enroll in college.

 

But not everyone thinks paying kids to stay childless is the right way to lower the teen pregnancy rate. They say the program sends mixed messages, specifically to parents, that incentivizing good behavior is the way to go.

 

"It makes me a bit uneasy," said Bill Albert, chief program officer at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "I do have mixed feelings. It's hard to pay people to do something that we think they should be doing regardless. It would be like if you didn't want young people to experiment with marijuana, you'd pay them not to do it."

 

Despite what he called his "gut-level queasiness" about paying girls not to get pregnant, Albert acknowledged that creative ways are needed to address the "very challenging social issue" of teen pregnancy.

 

The nation's teen birth rate, after declining for 14 consecutive years, has increased over the last two years and now stands at 7.2 pregnancies per 1,000 teenage girls, Albert said. Furthermore, he said, three out of 10 young women become pregnant by age 20, and costs associated with teen pregnancies exceed $9 billion annually.

 

With those figures in mind, paying girls $365 a year to stay childless seems like a "modest investment" ? especially if the program works, Albert said.

 

Dr. Hazel Brown, co-director of the program, said six girls of the 125 who have been enrolled for six months or longer have gotten pregnant or otherwise dropped out since it began in 1997. Funded by a grant from the state's Department of Health and Human Services, Brown said it costs about $75,000 a year to operate the program.

 

"We talk about abstinence, but it's not a requirement," Brown told FOXNews.com. "We teach decision-making, being responsible and avoiding pregnancy. The meetings are very interactive."

 

Enrollment in the program ? which meets separately twice a week for two groups, ages 12-14 and 15-18 ? is at capacity with 24 young women. To participate, girls must have never been pregnant, be enrolled in school, have a desire to attend college and have had a sister who gave birth before age 18.

 

Recent graduates have left the program with up to $3,000 saved up for college, including four young women who are set to begin their higher education in the fall.

 

Brown said the program is successful, and said its critics should consider the "cost of a teen getting pregnant," Brown said.

 

"When you can prevent one of those, you've more than paid for a program like this," she said. "We want to give them something to work toward. And without exception, our girls have come from homes that did not have someone with a college education ?

 

"If somebody believes in you, there's no end to what a lot of people can accomplish."

 

North Carolina Program Pays Girls a Dollar a Day Not to Get Pregnant - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

 

I support programs like this, it certainly beats making our girls face the horrible realities of abortion.

[ImWithStupid]

I think incentivizing good behavior, with negative outcomes for poor behavior, if done at a reasonable cost, is wonderful.

 

I wonder if they could expand this for boys not to get girls pregnant.

 

I questions the only six out of 125 involved getting pregnant as a viable statistic though. It may be true, but there's a chance that many of these girls are the type you wouldn't want to screw anyway.

[RoyalOrleans]

I do a lot of work with single mothers through my Help-A-MILF foundation and I am shocked by the number of girls who don't put out.

[timesjoke]

Good results and bad results are valuable learning tools.

 

Sure it may sound on the edge, but we have too look at reality, we can't just continue to do nothing and expect kids to fix themselves.

 

I also would like to see something done for the guys, expanding this program looks possible on many fronts and it is a lot cheaper then the Government paying for welfare and medical for the unwanted child.

[Chi]

North Carolina Program Pays Girls a Dollar a Day Not to Get Pregnant - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

 

I support programs like this, it certainly beats making our girls face the horrible realities of abortion.

 

Who says they can't get an abortion to keep receiving this money or use this money for an abortion? raises eyebrow

 

Regarding the program, at first glance I thought it was retarded. I don't like the idea of paying people to do the right thing. People should do it anyways or to prevent the actual consequences. Plus, how many girls (especially the more at risk ones) are willing to sit through boring 90 min. no-duh classes every week for a measly dollar a day? I'm thinking this is mostly going to be easy money for girls who would have probably not had a baby early anyway.

 

BUT if this program actually teaches these girls and requires them to attend classes, prevents unwanted pregnancies, abortions, welfare recipients, etc. - whatever. More power to them.

[Ahhlee]

Let me see if I have this right:

 

- 125 girls have enrolled in this preventative incentive program.

 

- The program has been in place since 1997.

 

- The program costs "about $75,000 a year" to operate and is funded by the state.

 

If my calculations are correct, this program has cost the tax payers ($75,000 x 12 years = $900,000) a SH!T load of money to prevent a mere 125 girls from getting knocked up. Excuse me...119 as 6 of them failed the course.

 

NOT worth it.

[timesjoke]

If my calculations are correct, this program has cost the tax payers ($75,000 x 12 years = $900,000) a SH!T load of money to prevent a mere 125 girls from getting knocked up. Excuse me...119 as 6 of them failed the course.

NOT worth it.

 

 

take 119 kids and how much for each one to deliver a baby?

 

I believe 10k is fair for a birth without complications. Law of averages would put in a few complications but let's try to keep it low and even leave out prenatal care and stuff.

 

All of these children are in low income families so it is reasonable to assume these kids would be forced into the welfare system so we have 18 years of welfare for each child and assuming these girls all stop at one child and not have several children each we can try to figure out the real cost to the taxpayer.

 

 

119 x 10k = $1,190,000 for just the births alone.

 

 

119 children and 119 mothers on the welfare system for 18 years. Figure low at $500 per person a month to cover the food stamps, government housing, medical expenses and government provided eduction from a person not paying taxes (again this is a very low number for the sake of being fair).

 

so 119 + 119 X $500 X 12months X 18 years = $25,704,000 for follow up care on the unwanted births.

 

 

Added together we get a cost of $26,894,000 compared to a prevention cost of $900,000, I say the prevention is way more cost effective.

 

Then of course there is the human cost, how much pain do we allow by playing blind to this issue?

[Chi]

take 119 kids and how much for each one to deliver a baby?

 

I believe 10k is fair for a birth without complications. Law of averages would put in a few complications but let's try to keep it low and even leave out prenatal care and stuff.

 

All of these children are in low income families so it is reasonable to assume these kids would be forced into the welfare system so we have 18 years of welfare for each child and assuming these girls all stop at one child and not have several children each we can try to figure out the real cost to the taxpayer.

 

 

119 x 10k = $1,190,000 for just the births alone.

 

 

119 children and 119 mothers on the welfare system for 18 years. Figure low at $500 per person a month to cover the food stamps, government housing, medical expenses and government provided eduction from a person not paying taxes (again this is a very low number for the sake of being fair).

 

so 119 + 119 X $500 X 12months X 18 years = $25,704,000 for follow up care on the unwanted births.

 

 

Added together we get a cost of $26,894,000 compared to a prevention cost of $900,000, I say the prevention is way more cost effective.

 

Then of course there is the human cost, how much pain do we allow by playing blind to this issue?

 

Better yet, let's scratch this expensive, silly plan AND welfare. Those who are responsible for themselves and their actions, will thrive and advance in life. Those who aren't will learn to the hard way or will end up in prison, be homeless and starve to death. Survival of the fittest and cleaning of the gene pool all in one!

[eddo]

that's taking a lot into consideration TJ.

 

Mainly that everyone of those teenage girls would get pregnant, and then end up on welfare.

 

I can totally agree with these classes, but am not to keen on the $$$ being handed out for what should be a responsible decision.

[eddo]

Better yet, let's scratch this expensive, silly plan AND welfare. Those who are responsible for themselves and their actions, will thrive and advance in life. Those who aren't will learn to the hard way or will end up in prison, be homeless and starve to death. Survival of the fittest and cleaning of the gene pool all in one!

 

That's the most impressive thing I've ever seen you write!!

 

Hey Everyone! Chi's coming around!!!

[timesjoke]

Better yet, let's scratch this expensive, silly plan AND welfare. Those who are responsible for themselves and their actions, will thrive and advance in life. Those who aren't will learn to the hard way or will end up in prison, be homeless and starve to death. Survival of the fittest and cleaning of the gene pool all in one!

 

HOLY cow she is turning Conservative !!!!!!

 

Of course I would agree with that idea, it is awsome, end all welfare and let the survival of the fittest take over.

 

 

But, if we are going to have welfare, I would rather $1 mill in prevention over $27 mil in long term welfare.

 

 

 

 

 

that's taking a lot into consideration TJ.

 

Mainly that everyone of those teenage girls would get pregnant, and then end up on welfare.

 

I can totally agree with these classes, but am not to keen on the $$$ being handed out for what should be a responsible decision.

 

That is why I went very, very low on my numbers. Out of the 119 births for example to low income and very young mother there is a high degree of complications. Most will also have more than just one child. Most will cost the Government more than $500 each a month.

 

The number I posted is way, way low.

[Ahhlee]

But, if we are going to have welfare, I would rather $1 mill in prevention over $27 mil in long term welfare.

 

 

That is why I went very, very low on my numbers. Out of the 119 births for example to low income and very young mother there is a high degree of complications. Most will also have more than just one child. Most will cost the Government more than $500 each a month.

 

The number I posted is way, way low.

 

 

I still disagree. The 119 success stories are spread out over a 12 year period. That averages to 9.92 girls per year enrolled in this program who did not get pregnant.

 

That isn't much of a dent in the overall problem, now is it?

 

And who is to say that 100% of these 119 girls would have gotten knocked up had they not attended this program?

 

I just think $1 million can go a lot further and reach a lot more teens than 10/year.....girls and boys included.

[Chi]

That's the most impressive thing I've ever seen you write!!

 

Hey Everyone! Chi's coming around!!!

 

HOLY cow she is turning Conservative !!!!!!

 

Um hello, this is not news nor a new outlook of mine. And please spare me the labels. I don't have to totally lean this way or that, that's for the narrowminded that have to follow or belong to groups/crowds.

[Chi]

I just think $1 million can go a lot further and reach a lot more teens than 10/year.....girls and boys included.

 

Really. What about teaching these boys/men about not getting girls knocked up and taking care of their responsibilities as well if they do?

 

Although all of this should be taught AT HOME. Why are kids strangers' and the schools' responsibility? Parents need to parent more.

[eddo]

Really. What about teaching these boys/men about not getting girls knocked up and taking care of their responsibilities as well if they do?

 

Although all of this should be taught AT HOME. Why are kids strangers' and the schools' responsibility? Parents need to parent more.

 

umm, just for the record, that was Ali's amazing quote you quoted, not mine.

 

 

 

and excellent points yourself.

[timesjoke]

Ali,

 

it is still more cost effective to not have the girls get pregnant, all at once or spread out you still see that 119 babies cost $27 mil while the prevention is $1 mil, that is a no brainer in my book.

 

Why save a mil and then just let these girls cost the Government $27 mil down the road?

 

 

 

 

 

Really. What about teaching these boys/men about not getting girls knocked up and taking care of their responsibilities as well if they do?

 

It is always easier to not break an egg then it is to clean up the egg after you dropped it. Up to now 99% of all Government programs are about what to do 'after' the girls get pregnant, I am happy someone is finally trying to find a way to teach prevention.

 

It is not fair, but it is the girls who have to take the lead on this issue. There is an old saying, we only know for sure who the mother is. It is estimated that about 1/3 of all men paying support are paying for kids they did not create. The system is designed to get any man possible assigned as the father to help support children as it is but this system does nothing for stopping the unwanted children in the first place.

 

Although all of this should be taught AT HOME. Why are kids strangers' and the schools' responsibility? Parents need to parent more.

 

I agree with you completely Chi.

 

Why? Because the majority of Americans vote for socialist leaders who create systems like family services who seem to abuse good parents and ignore bad parents. Young children are educated on how to contact children's services at very young ages so now we have generations of children raised by the Government instead of parents.

 

Add to that the single largest growing segment of society is the single mother and you have a tired, single parent who does not have the ability to do it all and who must lean heavily on the Government to do what she can't.

 

Children raising themselves.

 

I like your idea though, end all welfare, take the money out of making babies and most would have to start taking this more seriously.

[Chi]

umm, just for the record, that was Ali's amazing quote you quoted, not mine.

 

I know, I'm agreeing with her.

[ImWithStupid]

I still disagree. The 119 success stories are spread out over a 12 year period. That averages to 9.92 girls per year enrolled in this program who did not get pregnant.

 

That isn't much of a dent in the overall problem, now is it?

 

And who is to say that 100% of these 119 girls would have gotten knocked up had they not attended this program?

 

I just think $1 million can go a lot further and reach a lot more teens than 10/year.....girls and boys included.

 

 

The numbers also only reflect those that stayed in the program for at least 6 months.

 

Dr. Hazel Brown, co-director of the program, said six girls of the 125 who have been enrolled for six months or longer have gotten pregnant or otherwise dropped out since it began in 1997.

[timesjoke]

The numbers also only reflect those that stayed in the program for at least 6 months.

 

Again that is why I was so low in all the estimates. How many of the girls will have more then one kid or have difficult pregnancies that cost way more. Even if you cut the numbers in half you still have just under 1 million as cost versus over 13 million dollars, even that makes it a no brainer.......if we are doing any welfare, I still prefer the Chi idea but I believe going from the free - for - all liberal welfare State to nothing is as close to impossible as it gets.

 

So I will try to push for, and hope for, alternative things that work for prevention over things that work to giving up and just tossing money at the unwanted results.

[ImWithStupid]

I wonder if they could start a program that pays politicians to be monogamous?

[timesjoke]

I wonder if they could start a program that pays politicians to be monogamous?

 

Wow, could you imagine the cost of that program?

 

During Roman times as their morals declined politicians became famous for having a page. Now a page was similar to what we call a page here in America in they were young people involved in politics and that is why we most likely used the same name but there was a difference.

 

A page in Roman times was a young boy homosexual lover for the politician. It was a status symbol for a politician to have one of these young boy lovers with them at all times. Now as our own morals decline we see that even here in America, our pages are involved in sexual relations with the politicians. Maybe the only real solution is to assign each politician a sex assistant and be done with it?

[ImWithStupid]

Wow, could you imagine the cost of that program?

 

During Roman times as their morals declined politicians became famous for having a page. Now a page was similar to what we call a page here in America in they were young people involved in politics and that is why we most likely used the same name but there was a difference.

 

A page in Roman times was a young boy homosexual lover for the politician. It was a status symbol for a politician to have one of these young boy lovers with them at all times. Now as our own morals decline we see that even here in America, our pages are involved in sexual relations with the politicians. Maybe the only real solution is to assign each politician a sex assistant and be done with it?

 

Where do I go to fill out the application to be Sarah Palin's sex assistant?

[timesjoke]

Where do I go to fill out the application to be Sarah Palin's sex assistant?

 

Brother, I like you and all that but if I knew that, I would want the job for myself and I wouldn't tell anyone else, lol. She is hot.

[eddo]

Where do I go to fill out the application to be Sarah Palin's sex assistant?

 

no kidding!!!!

[emkay64]

Hmmm....

 

How about showing the after effects of having a baby to girls and guys.

 

Maybe some high definition shots of stretch marks, stitches, sad girls at the mall with babies and nursing stains on the t-shirt, while the baby daddy works at tubby dog slinging weiners to pay the bills. Going to prom with nursing pads cause your fukking udders are leaking and going home early cause that damn episiotomy isn't healing so great. Maybe some shots of dark circles around the eyes from waking up every 2 frikkin hours (I think they use this as a torture technique in Guantanamo...but women get the added bonus of an inconsolable screaming child). Perhaps some high fashion photos of the maternity clothes you continue to wear afterwards all rolled up like inner tubes at the waist cause there is no time for fun shopping...just quick shopping for diapers and gripe water. Perhaps some photos with audio of the breast pump on one tit and a nursing kid on the other. The hair bun that will never leave an elastic for the first year after birth.

 

I think a dose of reality is in order...not a fukking cheque! How about a cheque for women opting to stay at home to take care of their kids, or men for that matter. Maybe a cheque for good parenting? Let's bring back the chastity belt or develop a penile plug. I can't believe this is the solution they came up with. Retarded!

 

[attach=full]2343[/attach]

 

...and I don't get it? She looks a little scary to me. Is she cross eyed? I think this may be the after effects of RO's "Bang a Milf in Need" program