HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 121

(By Delegates Caputo, Manchin, Barill, Brown, T. Campbell, Doyle, Ferro, Fleischauer, Givens, Guthrie, Hatfield, Hunt, Jones, Lawrence, Longstreth, Mahan, Manypenny, Moore, Morgan, Perdue, L. Phillips, M. Poling, Poore, Swartzmiller, Talbott and Wells)

Calling on our Congressional Delegation to promote and protect Title X funding.

    Whereas, The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Family Planning Program is an integral part of public health and primary prevention across the state; and

    Whereas, The West Virginia Legislature finds that family planning promotes the health of men, women and children and the well-being of families and infants; that family planning encourages responsible behavior; that family planning reduces unplanned and teen pregnancy; that family planning reduces the need for abortions and expenditures for high risk pregnancies; and, that family planning allows pregnancies to be wanted and planned when couples are best able to care for their new children; and

    Whereas, The West Virginia Family Planning Program is supported by federal Title X funding; and

    Whereas, The West Virginia Planning Program contracts with approximately one hundred fifty-two local county health departments, primary care and rural health centers, college and university student health clinics, hospitals and private medical practices to deliver clinical family planning services to eligible individuals; and

    Whereas, The West Virginia Family Planning Program annually serves fifty-seven thousand six-hundred forty-eight West Virginians, the vast majority of whom are living in poverty and receive services at no-charge; and

    Whereas, West Virginia received $2,445,565 in federal funds from Title X during the 2010-2011 budget year; and

    Whereas, The medical, educational and counseling services of The West Virginia Family Planning Program clinics are broad including male and female exams, cervical cancer screening, breast and testicular screening, STD testing and treatment, counseling on STD, HIV and AIDS risks, preconception counseling, pregnancy testing and counseling, referral services, male and female birth control and male and female sterilization services; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That The West Virginia Legislature salutes The West Virginia Family Planning Program for providing vital health services for West Virginia women, men and families; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Congressional Delegation from the State of West Virginia be called upon to do all that it can in order to promote and protect Title X funding so that such critically important health programs in our great Mountain State can continue to serve the needs of West Virginians.