West Virginia State Profile
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The Department of Health and Human Services and community-based organizations in West Virginia received $985,852 in federal funds for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in Fiscal Year 2007. 1 Sexuality Education Law and Policy | Recent Legislation | Events of Note | Youth Statistical Information of Note | Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding | Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) and Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) Grantees | Federal and State Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs | Adolescent Health Contact | Organizations that Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education | Organizations that Oppose Comprehensive Sexuality Education | Local Newspapers | References West Virginia Sexuality Education Law and Policy West Virginia law does not require sexuality education, but does require HIV/AIDS-prevention education in sixth through twelfth grades. According to a West Virginia legislative rule, “the goal of this policy is to assist in the protection of students by providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to avoid behaviors that will put them at the risk of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).” Each county board must integrate HIV-prevention education into health courses and may also include it in science, development, and social studies courses. Educators conducting classroom instruction about HIV/AIDS must be qualified professionals who participate in staff development to ensure they teach current AIDS information. West Virginia does not require any specific curriculum; however, the Board of Education’s Health Content Standards and Objectives curriculum framework includes sexuality education. Parents or guardians may remove their children from any part of this instruction by written notification to the principal. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy. See Legislative Rule of the West Virginia Board of Education 126-50A and 126-50B, West Virginia Board of Education Policies 2422.4, 2422.45, and 2520.5. Bill Introduces Standards for Faith-Based, Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs House Bill 2312, introduced in January 2007, would require faith-based, abstinence-only-until-marriage, and anti-choice facilities to give full information to “pregnant girls and women” regarding sex education, contraception, abortion, and other subjects. The bill is currently in the House Committee on Health and Human Resources. Legislation to Allow Counseling of Students in Sex Education House Bill 2538 would allow employees of the state board of education or county board to counsel a student in “basic sex education, societal expectations and roles of men and women, and birth control methods, including abstinence, medications, devices, and abortion,” upon the request of the student or when it appears to be in the student’s best interest. This counseling must remain confidential. The bill was introduced in January 2007 and currently resides in the Committee on Education. SIECUS is not aware of any recent events regarding sexuality education in West Virginia. West Virginia’s Youth: Statistical Information of Note 2
Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services received $385,852 in federal Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding in Fiscal Year 2007. The Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage grant requires states to provide three state-raised dollars or the equivalent in services for every four federal dollars received. The state match may be provided in part or in full by local groups. In West Virginia, the match is provided by sub-grantees through in-kind services. The Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding is distributed by the West Virginia Abstinence Education Project (WVAEP) to five sub-grantees: Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia, The Gabriel Project of West Virginia (The Northern Panhandle Coalition for Abstinence Education), Rainelle Medical Center, Regeneration, Inc., and the Women’s Care Center. All curricula used by sub-grantees must be approved by the WVAEP after publishers confirm in writing that materials have been reviewed by a medical team. The Gabriel Project of West Virginia’s mission statement describes the organization as, “an ecumenical network of congregations committed to safeguarding and honoring life by offering immediate and practical support to pregnant women and families with infants and young children.”3 The organization funds an abstinence educator who is available to schools, school board meetings, and other community events.4 The Gabriel Project’s abstinence program includes a virginity pledge. Research has found that under certain conditions these pledges may help some adolescents delay sexual intercourse. When they work, pledges help this select group of adolescents delay the onset of sexual intercourse for an average of 18 months—far short of marriage. Researchers found that pledges only worked when taken by a small group of students. Pledges taken by a whole class were ineffective. More importantly, the studies also found that those young people who took a pledge were one-third less likely to use contraception when they did become sexually active than their peers who had not pledged. These teens are therefore more vulnerable to the risks of unprotected sexual activity such as unintended pregnancy and STDs, including HIV/AIDS. Further research has confirmed that although some students who take pledges delay intercourse, ultimately they are equally as likely to contract an STD as their non-pledging peers. The study also found that STD rates were higher in communities where a significant proportion (over 20 percent) of the young people had taken virginity pledges.5 Regeneration, Inc. runs “Project CHAT (Communities Hearing Abstinence Truth).” This program focuses on “six pillars of good character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.”6 The program has expanded in recent years to stretch across the state. In addition, Regeneration, Inc. sponsors a conference celebrating marriage.7 The Women’s Care Center is a crisis pregnancy center. Crisis pregnancy centers typically advertise as providing medical services and then use anti-abortion propaganda, misinformation, and fear and shame tactics to dissuade women facing unintended pregnancy from exercising their right to choose. The organization describes itself as, “a Christian, pro-life ministry existing for the purpose of presenting the love and gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. It is staffed by volunteers, known as advocates, who have received training in crisis intervention.”8 The organization also receives support from the First United Methodist Church of Parkersburg, West Virginia.9 Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) and Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) Grantees There is one CBAE grantee in West Virginia: Mission West Virginia, Inc. There are no AFLA grantees in West Virginia. Mission West Virginia, Inc. collaborates with public and private entities, especially faith communities, with the goal of “building stronger communities in West Virginia.”10 Mission West Virginia, Inc. runs several different programs, including E-Impact, a technology initiatives program, and One Church, One Child for adoptive and foster parent recruitment. Federal and State Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in FY 2007
Adolescent Health Contact11 West Virginia Organizations that Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education
West Virginia Organizations that Oppose Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Newspapers in West Virginia12
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