Abstinence proponents look for aid from new health bill

"The tragic part is a number of these programs provide services in very at-risk communities where students don't have positive role models. They really depend on the mentoring and skills they receive through these programs," Huber said.

Funding could be restored as part of the health-reform package. Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) won inclusion of an amendment in the Senate Finance Committee bill that would provide $50 million to states to use for abstinence programs, and the funding survived the version of the legislation that emerged from Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.)

"I was as surprised as anyone to see abstinence-only education programs funded in the final Reid health care bill. There must have been some Democrats who wanted to see the abstinence-only language included," Hatch said in a statement.

It remains unclear what will happen once the House and Senate meet to reconcile their versions of health-care legislation. The House version contains no earmark and instead includes $50 million for states to fund comprehensive sex education programs. The Senate bill includes $75 million for such comprehensive sex education programs administered by the states.

"It's appalling that Republicans are using health-care reform to continue their campaign to fund abstinence-only programs that don't work," said Cecille Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "Congress should strip the Hatch amendment providing funding for failed abstinence-only programs from the health-care reform bill."

Huber and other defenders disputed that studies had shown abstinence programs were ineffective. They argued that research had shown the programs were superior to comprehensive efforts when administered in the schools. In addition, they said many programs were just beginning to gather data that would further validate the approach.

"It's disingenuous to use data from a clinic-based setting and say it will be effective in school-based setting," she said.

Vernita Griffith, who runs the Youth Awake abstinence program in Raleigh, N.C., said her group is among those hoping their funding will continue. It is in the second year of what was supposed to be almost $500,000 in annual funding for five years to encourage teens to remain abstinent.

"What we talk about are refusal skills," Griffith said. "We talk to them about the clothes they wear, and the images they see in the media and how to chose healthy relationships. We're talking about it being cool to be abstinent. People don't understand the misconceptions these kids have. . . . I feel like they're really missing the mark if they cut off the funding."

But critics such as Wagoner contend the evidence is clear: Programs that include education about contraception are the most effective. Abstinence programs "deny young people life-saving information about condoms and other forms of prevention," Wagoner said.