Missouri House Subcommittee Restores Funding for 'Alternatives to Abortion' Program

(Kaisernetwork) A Missouri House appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday voted to resume funding for the state's "Alternatives to Abortion" program, which provides antiabortion counseling to women with unplanned pregnancies, the Associated Press reports. The program, which provided housing and utilities subsidies, adoption assistance and parenting skills education, ended in May 2003 when its funding was depleted (Associated Press, 3/10).

Although the state Legislature in a June 2003 special session restored about $570,000 in funding for the program, Gov. Bob Holden (D) in July 2003 removed the funding for the program as part of a $250 million reduction he ordered to balance the budget (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 9/22/03).

However, the subcommittee voted to include $570,000 for the program in the health department budget for the fiscal year that begins in July. Tricia Schlechte, deputy director for health and public health in the Department of Health and Senior Services, said that the program would not be difficult to restart even though it has been "dormant" for almost a year, according to the Associated Press (Associated Press, 3/10).

Source: Kaisernetwork
Publish Date: March 12, 2004