FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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September 8, 2022, AUSTIN — Today, Human Coalition’s National Director of Public Policy Chelsey Youman will testify before the Texas House Appropriations Committee in support of the Alternatives to Abortion (“A2A”) Program. This safety net program has been in place in Texas since 2006 and continues to provide support services to pregnant women and equip them as they face unexpected pregnancies.
“By funding services for women and families in need, Alternatives to Abortion enables nonprofits like Human Coalition to empower women to a place of socio-economic stability, to help improve pregnancy outcomes and child health, and save countless lives in the process,” Youman says. “Looking forward to a post-Roe landscape, it’s imperative that we not only maintain this program’s track record of success, but also improve it to meet the pressing needs of Texas women and children.”
The A2A program is at the core of care for mothers in difficult situations in Texas, and in the 2021 fiscal year alone it provided more than 126,000 clients with nearly 2.7 million services. These services included tangible resources such as diapers and car seats, as well as long term stabilizing support like gynecological care, safe housing, employment and affordable child care.
In the committee hearing, Youman will argue that, “By funding services for women and families in need, Alternatives to Abortion enables non-profits like Human Coalition to empower women to a place of socio-economic stability, to help improve pregnancy outcomes and child health, and save countless lives in the process. Looking forward to a post-Roe landscape, it’s imperative that we not only maintain this program’s track record of success, but also improve it to meet the pressing needs of Texas women and children. “
The A2A program meets these needs by providing mothers with the information and resources they need to make a well-informed decision about their child and their future. These resources include enabling women to be cared for by nonprofit charitable organizations near them that assist with employment, safe housing, domestic violence, substance abuse, counseling or any other resource these mothers may need. It also connects them to early gynecological care, thus mitigating many health risks such as maternal or infant disparities.
“This may be the most important thing I tell you today—we ask every single woman seeking abortion if her circumstances were different, would she prefer to parent. And three out of four say yes,” Youman says. “These women most often feel they have no choice or pressured into an abortion because of their economic or social problems. Studies indicate that 64% are coerced to abort by their partner or a family member. Abortion isn’t empowerment.”
Jacqueline, a woman who found herself facing an unexpected pregnancy, shares a powerful testimony about her experience finding an alternative to abortion here. The full House Appropriations Committee hearing along with Chelsey Youman’s testimony can be watched live here.
About Human Coalition
Human Coalition is one of the largest pro-life organizations in the nation, operating a growing network of Telecare and Brick-and-Mortar Women’s Care Clinics across the nation.