LANSING — The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) on Wednesday announced $1.4 million in grants for nine groups for abstinence-only education programs. The announcement is not sitting well with many in the sexual health community, particularly because numerous studies have shown the abstinence-only model appears not to work.

The grant programs are directed at youth ages 12-18 and parents of youth in that age group. Of the money, $875,000 will go to community groups and organizations, while an additional $542,000 will fund technical staffing and an abstinence-only public awareness campaign. Michigan spends $700,000 a year on other sexual health education programs.

“The Michigan Abstinence Program is geared to promote abstinence from sexual activity and other related risky behaviors,” said MDCH Director Janet Olszewski in a press release. “This funding will further help our communities and the abstinence program guide our youth away from risky activity.”

The problem, activists say, is abstinence-only education doesn’t work. According to numerous studies, abstinence only, which is an education model that teaches young people to abstain from sexual behavior, but not how to prevent sexual transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies, does not work.

A September 2008 study in The Journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy found that the programs do not delay the onset of sexual activity by teenagers. The study questioned whether the federal government should be spending $1.5 billion annually on them. The Guttmacher Institute has a summary.

And a study by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, released in late December, shows that youth who take chastity pledges and partake of abstinence-only education will start sexual activity at the same time as their religious and conservative peers, only they are much less likely to engage in behavior to protect from unwanted pregnancies or sexual transmitted infections.

“What we know is that there are study after study that shows this stuff (abstinence-only) doesn’t work,” said Lori Lammerand, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan.

“Well, I disagree with you that studies show that it (abstinence-only education) doesn’t work,” said MDCH spokesperson James McCurtis when asked about the studies. “I challenge you to cite one study that shows that.”

When presented with a study from the Guttmacher Institute web site, McCurtis responded, “I am not going to amend my previous comments. Thank you for the study.”

Michigan is one of 25 states that continue to receive and pursue the Title V grant money from the federal government. The other 25 states have rejected the money, citing studies that show abstinence-only education does not work.

“We pursue this money from the federal government because these community groups are following the federal guidelines and they are doing a good job running the program,” McCurtis said in an e-mail.

“You have to determine if it is a good program or not, and it’s not,” counters Planned Parenthood’s Lammerand. “You do not see a decrease in teen sexual activity with abstinence-only education programs.”

Lammerand said the $1.4 million could be better spent giving 6,000 Michigan residents access to family planning services. “What works is comprehensive sex ed with an abstinence message for those with whom it works,” Lammerand said.

The money will go to the following groups: Catholic Charities West Michigan in Grand Rapids; Jackson County Health Department; District Health Department #2 in Clinton, Gratiot and Montcalm counties; District Health Department #4 in Alpena, Cheboygan, Montmorency and Presque Isle counties; South Side Community Coalition in Lansing; St. John Investment Corporation in Detroit; The Yuinon, Inc., in Detroit; the Tuscola Intermediate School District and Wedgwood Christian Services in Grand Rapids.

This story was cross posted at Between the Lines.