Sexuality education that is high-quality, comprehensive, and medically accurate is essential at all stages of life. It is through sex education that people can ultimately make important decisions about their own family planning and sexual health. For that reason, education and counseling are the key components of publicly funded family planning services in the United States.

NFPRHA's Work

NFPRHA works with its partners to ensure that all people have access to high-quality, comprehensive education about their sexual health. Specifically, NFPRHA advocates for assigning limited federal resources for sexuality education to evidence-based programs rather than harmful abstinence-only initiatives and for giving family planning providers the ability to speak confidentially with all patients, including minors, about their sexual health. 

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP)
NFPRHA supports funding for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP), first funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010. While TPPP is not a sexuality education program, grants can be used to support educational efforts, including implementation of proven strategies and development of new programs, and all projects funded by TPPP must be medically accurate. The Office of Population Affairs (OPA), which manages the Title X program, also oversees TPPP. Current TPPP grantees are listed on OPA’s website. 

TPPP experienced significant upheaval (PDF) during the Trump administration, necessitating substantial litigation. NFPRHA is pleased that the program was ultimately implemented according to congressional intent. 

Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)
In 2010, as part of the Affordable Care Act, Congress created an additional comprehensive sexuality education program, entitled the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). PREP provides $75 million annually to states to provide comprehensive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate sexuality education to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS. PREP programs are also required to address life skills that help teens make responsible decisions that lead to safe and healthy lives. PREP is currently authorized through September 30, 2023. 

Abstinence-Only Programs
Since 1996, the US has spent more than $2.1 billion (PDF) in federal funds on abstinence-only programs that harm young people and do nothing to prevent unintended pregnancies or STDs. NFPRHA opposes abstinence-only efforts, which are sometimes referred to as “abstinence-only-until marriage” (AOUM) or “sexual risk avoidance” (SRA) and advocates for their elimination from the federal government’s annual spending bills. NFPRHA also opposes the continuation of the Title V AOUM program, which is currently authorized through September 30, 2023.