Crisis pregnancy center: Difference between revisions

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Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are non-profit organizations established by pro-life supporters that work to discourage pregnant women from choosing abortion. Most exist in the United States, and many provide some degree of supportive service to pregnant or parenting women. Many crisis pregnancy centers are affiliated with pro-life Christian groups. Those which are may be affiliated with a specific church, or the center may operate as a parachurch organization.

Services

Depending on its size, resources, and affiliation, a crisis pregnancy center may provide the following services:^[1]^[2]^[3]

Pregnancy tests
Ultrasound of the fetus
Sexually transmitted disease tests
Information favorable to the pro-life view about abortion procedures and their alleged risks
Religious literature, including Bibles
Maternity and baby clothing
Referrals: medical, legal, housing, social agencies, professional counseling
Information: jobs and career development, adoption, pregnancy and childbirth, child care, abstinence, marriage

Services are provided on a free and confidential basis to any woman, regardless of race, ethnicity, marital status, sexual orientation, or religion. However, crisis pregnancy centers must report to the police any cases of statutory rape.

Crisis Pregnancy Centers generally do not provide referrals for abortion and contraception. This decision is usually based on the pro-life views of those who operate CPCs.

A small number of CPCs are affiliated with maternity houses, or temporary homes for pregnant women and young mothers in crisis.

Funding and Staffing

A center will have a director, who may be a full-time paid employee, along with a volunteer staff. Funding and resources are generally provided by churches, individuals and businesses that support the pro-life cause, matching gifts from employers, and grants. Some centers are members of United Way of America and receive designated gifts as well as a percentage of non-designated gifts. Fundraisers are often used as well. Some centers may receive federal funding. The Washington Post reported that over $60 million dollars of federal funds have been given to crisis pregnancy centers since 2001.^[4]

Heartbeat International, Care Net, and Birthright International are three of the major organisations with national networks of crisis pregnancy centers in the United States. The largest UK organisations are CareConfidential and LifeUK.

Criticism

Crisis pregnancy centers are the subject of intense criticism, with allegations that CPCs are deliberately ambiguous in their descriptions of their services, and that CPCs provide false or misleading information about abortion to women who enter the premises.

On March 30, 2006, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced a bill called the "Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act", which aims to hold crisis pregnancy centers up to truth in advertising standards. ^[5]

On July 17, 2006, a Congressional investigative report was released by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), ranking member of the House Government Reform Committee. The report, titled False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers states that CPCs in 15 states that received federal tax dollars misled or provided false information to investigators who called posing as pregnant 17-year-olds seeking advice about an unintended pregnancy.^[6]^[7]

Critics charge that CPCs portray themselves as "medical facilities" when they do not have professional licensing from local or state health departments. Without licenses, these centers cannot provide well-woman exams, prenatal care or medical treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, nor can they provide prescriptions or refills for contraceptives. Critics claim that the only purpose of these centers is to discourage women from choosing abortion.

References

^ Heartbeat International
^ Optionline
^ Birthright
^ Edsall, Thomas B. (2006-03-22). "Grants Flow To Bush Allies On Social Issues". Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved 2006-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Seeking a Crackdown on Deceit by Radical Anti-Choice Centers". Rep. Carolyn Maloney press release. 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2006-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Guttmacher Institute press report
^ False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers, a Congressional investigative report prepared for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)

External links

About Crisis Pregnancy Centers, a critical perspective
NAF Policy Report on CPCs
Text of Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women’s Services Act introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14)
Crisis pregnancy center at Curlie

Press

Pregnancy Centers Found to Give False Information on Abortion Washington Post (print view, no photos)
Antiabortion Centers Offer Sonograms to Further Cause Washington Post (print view, no photos)
Grants Flow To Bush Allies On Social Issues Washington Post (print view, no photos)

[1] Heartbeat International

[2] Optionline

[3] Birthright

[4] Edsall, Thomas B. (2006-03-22). "Grants Flow To Bush Allies On Social Issues". Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved 2006-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[5] "Seeking a Crackdown on Deceit by Radical Anti-Choice Centers". Rep. Carolyn Maloney press release. 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2006-05-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[6] Guttmacher Institute press report

[7] False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers, a Congressional investigative report prepared for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{AbortionDebate}}
-'''Crisis pregnancy centers''' (CPCs) are [[non-profit organization]]s that counsel women through their range of options once they discover they are pregnant. They may provide some degree of supportive service to pregnant or parenting [[women]]
+'''Crisis pregnancy centers''' (CPCs) are [[non-profit organization]]s established by [[pro-life]] supporters that work to discourage [[pregnant]] [[women]] from choosing [[abortion]].  Most exist in the [[United States]], and many provide some degree of supportive service to pregnant or parenting [[women]]. Many crisis pregnancy centers are affiliated with pro-life [[Christian]] groups.  Those which are may be affiliated with a specific [[church]], or the center may operate as a [[parachurch]] organization.
 ==Services==
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 *[[Sexually transmitted disease]] tests
 *Information favorable to the pro-life view about abortion procedures and their alleged risks
+*Religious literature, including [[Bible]]s
 *Maternity and baby clothing
 *Referrals: medical, legal, housing, social agencies, professional counseling
@@ Line 17: / Line 18: @@
 Services are provided on a free and confidential basis to any woman, regardless of race, ethnicity, marital status, sexual orientation, or religion. However, crisis pregnancy centers must report to the police any cases of [[statutory rape]].
-Crisis Pregnancy Centers generally do not provide referrals for abortion and contraception as they are not a medical facility.
+Crisis Pregnancy Centers generally do not provide referrals for abortion and contraception.  This decision is usually based on the [[pro-life]] views of those who operate CPCs.
 A small number of CPCs are affiliated with ''maternity houses'', or temporary homes for pregnant women and young mothers in crisis.
 ==Funding and Staffing==
-A center will have a director, who may be a full-time paid employee, along with a volunteer staff. Funding and resources are generally provided by individuals and businesses that support a woman being counseled through all available options for her pregnancy, and grants.  Some centers are members of [[United Way of America]] and receive designated gifts as well as a percentage of non-designated gifts. Fundraisers are often used as well. Some centers may receive federal funding. The ''[[Washington Post]]'' reported that over $60 million dollars of federal funds have been given to crisis pregnancy centers since 2001.<ref>{{cite web | last =Edsall | first =Thomas B. | date = [[2006-03-22]] | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101723_pf.html | title =Grants Flow To Bush Allies On Social Issues | work =[[Washington Post]] | pages =A01 | accessdate =2006-05-11}}</ref>
+A center will have a director, who may be a full-time paid employee, along with a volunteer staff. Funding and resources are generally provided by churches, individuals and businesses that support the pro-life cause, matching gifts from employers, and grants.  Some centers are members of [[United Way of America]] and receive designated gifts as well as a percentage of non-designated gifts. Fundraisers are often used as well. Some centers may receive federal funding. The ''[[Washington Post]]'' reported that over $60 million dollars of federal funds have been given to crisis pregnancy centers since 2001.<ref>{{cite web | last =Edsall | first =Thomas B. | date = [[2006-03-22]] | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101723_pf.html | title =Grants Flow To Bush Allies On Social Issues | work =[[Washington Post]] | pages =A01 | accessdate =2006-05-11}}</ref>
 [[Heartbeat International]], [[Care Net]], and Birthright International are three of the major organisations with national networks of crisis pregnancy centers in the United States. The largest UK organisations are CareConfidential and LifeUK.
 ==Criticism==
+Crisis pregnancy centers are the subject of intense criticism, with allegations that CPCs are deliberately ambiguous in their descriptions of their services, and that CPCs provide false or misleading information about abortion to women who enter the premises.
 On [[March 30]], [[2006]], [[Congressperson|Congresswoman]] [[Carolyn Maloney]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[New York|NY]]) introduced a bill called the "Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act", which aims to hold crisis pregnancy centers up to [[False advertising|truth in advertising]] standards. <ref>{{cite web | date = [[2006-03-30]] | url =http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1082&Itemid=61 | title =Seeking a Crackdown on Deceit by Radical Anti-Choice Centers | work =Rep. Carolyn Maloney press release | accessdate =2006-05-11}}</ref>
 On [[July 17]], [[2006]], a Congressional investigative report was released by Rep. [[Henry Waxman]] (D-CA), ranking member of the [[House Government Reform Committee]].  The report, titled ''False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers'' states that CPCs in 15 states that received federal tax dollars misled or provided false information to investigators who called posing as pregnant 17-year-olds seeking advice about an unintended pregnancy.<ref>[http://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2006/07/18/index.html Guttmacher Institute press report]</ref><ref>[http://oversight.house.gov/Documents/20060717101140-30092.pdf False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers], a Congressional investigative report prepared for Rep. [[Henry Waxman]] (D-CA)</ref>
-Critics charge that CPCs portray themselves as "medical facilities" when they do not have professional licensing from local or state health departments. Without licenses, these centers cannot provide well-woman exams, prenatal care or medical treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, nor can they provide prescriptions or refills for contraceptives.
+Critics charge that CPCs portray themselves as "medical facilities" when they do not have professional licensing from local or state health departments. Without licenses, these centers cannot provide well-woman exams, prenatal care or medical treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, nor can they provide prescriptions or refills for contraceptives. Critics claim that the only purpose of these centers is to discourage women from choosing abortion.
 ==See also==
 *[[Pregnancy options counseling]]