Prevention Matters

Orange County, California, officials have reversed themselves and agreed to restore funding to Planned Parenthood for sex education. The county supervisors then adopted new policies to restrict funds for health education programs in the future.

In March, supervisors suspended a grant worth nearly $300,000 in tobacco settlement revenue earmarked for sex education because the organization performs abortions. At the urging of county lawyers, they vote April 28 to reinstate the grant, but then voted unanimously to direct the county Health Care Agency to use tobacco settlement revenue at community clinics to direct health services, rather than health education.