We support... confidential adolescent health care services, including a full range of reproductive health care services and information.

WHFPT believes that public policies should and must promote the health and well-being of the citizens of the state and nation. It is critical for teens to have access to a full range of reproductive heath care services, including accurate information about human sexuality, contraceptive information and methods, and screening for and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, and abortions. Currently, Texas ranks 8th nationally in teen pregnancies with 123 pregnancies annually per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (Alan Guttmacher Institute, Facts in Brief, January, 1998) accounting for 54,241 births in 1996. The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and infections is high among Texas teens. (Texas Department of Health)

WHFPT strongly supports the involvement of parents and/or other trusted adults in the reproductive health care decisions of teens. However, the Association opposes any legislation, rule or regulation which would mandate parental involvement. Such legislation creates barriers to care and places teens, their health and their lives at risk.

• Without confidential access to family planning services, sexually active teens are at risk of unintended pregnancies, as well as undiagnosed and untreated sexually transmitted diseases and infections
• Without confidential access to abortion care, teens in Texas, facing a pregnancy and unwilling or unable to talk to parents, may seek illegal abortions, may induce abortions themselves or travel to Mexico in search of abortions. The latter is particularly dangerous because, although abortion is illegal in Mexico, it is readily available, but very unsafe. Thousands of women die each year from illegal abortions in Mexico.

Public support

• The Scripps Howard Texas Poll (Spring, 1998) found that 61% of Texans agree that teens should have confidential access to contraception and birth control
• A Lake, Sosin, Snell, Perry & Associates/American Viewpoint Survey (1997) found that 68% of voters support confidential and open access for minors for contraception and birth control
• A 1996 Lake Research Poll in Texas found that although they would prefer a teenager consult a parent if she wishes to obtain an abortion, 65% of Texans agreed that they wanted her to have access to safe, legal abortion and not be forced to travel out of state or seek an illegal abortion when, for whatever reason, she feels she cannot tell a parent

Texas Teens and Family Planning Services

Access to confidential family planning services is vital. The vast majority of teens seeking family planning services are already sexually active. Mandatory parental involvement laws or regulations will force teens to delay seeking medical care, placing them and their partners at greater risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

WHFPT, as well as leading medical groups, oppose mandatory parental involvement requirements for teens seeking family planning services. The following are a few examples of those who have gone on record in opposition to these mandatory parental involvement requirements:

• American Medical Association
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• National Medical Association
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Medical Women's Association
• Society for Adolescent Medicine

Texas Teens and Access to Abortion Care

The majority of parents would want their teenage daughters to consult with them before seeking abortion care, but they may not be considering the potential consequences of mandating it legally. Not every family is a model family. If parental involvement is mandated teens who are unable to talk with their parents or are victims of physical abuse, rape or incest are placed in further danger. Clinic staff do encourage teens to involve parents, or, if they cannot, then to involve another trusted adult.

The following organizations oppose mandatory parental involvement:

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• American Nurses’ Association
• American Psychiatric Association
• American Public Health Association
• American Association of Social Workers
• National Education Association
• National Council of Negro Women
• Southern Christian Leadership Conference
• United Methodist Church
• United Church of Christ, Office of Church and Society
• Young Women’s Christian Association
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• National Council of Jewish Women
• B’Nai B’Rith Women

The Women's Health and Family Planning Association of Texas opposes any and all legislation which would require parental consent or notification for teens seeking reproductive health care services, including contraceptive information, contraceptive drugs and devices, screening and treatments for sexually transmitted diseases, and abortion care.