A win/win for taxpayers and teens

Spending money on abstinence-centered education is a cost savings for taxpayers. Providing youth with the skills to wait to have sex is easier and less expensive than treating youth for the possible consequences of teen sex. Teens who avoid these consequences are more likely to be successful in reaching their goals. As research now indicates that abstinence-centered education programs reduce teen sexual activity by approximately 50%, it is increasingly clear that abstinence-centered education provides a good return for taxpayers and a brighter future for teens.

Note: This study is not an exhaustive computation of all of the cost savings and benefits associated with a teen choosing abstinence. This fact sheet only details the cost savings associated with the decrease in teen births.

Abstinence-Centered Education saves taxpayers $6 for every $1 spent for pregnancy prevention.

Both the increase in teens choosing abstinence and the decline in teen pregnancy have coincided with the increase in federal funding for abstinence-centered education, suggesting that abstinence-centered education has played a major role in these tax savings. Current funding for abstinence-centered education is approximately $174 million per year , which translates into a savings of over $1 billion taxpayer dollars.

Teens who choose abstinence and avoid becoming pregnant are saving taxpayers over $1 billion in teen childbearing costs.

• Teen childbearing costs U.S. taxpayers $9.1 billion per year.
• The percentage of students who are virgins has increased from 46% in 1990 to 52% in 2007.
• Abstinence-centered has been shown to decrease teen sexual activity by approximately 50% and increased abstinence is responsible for at least half of the decrease in teen pregnancy, saving taxpayers over $1 billion each year.

There are additional health benefits from abstinence-centered education, which, if quantified, would reveal even greater savings to taxpayers.

• Teens account for one quarter of all new STDs each year. Abstinent teens, however, avoid sexually transmitted diseases and all corresponding medical costs.
• Studies reveal increased risks of depression and attempted suicide among sexually active teens. Abstinent teens, however, avoid negative emotional consequences resulting from sexual activity and all associated mental health costs.
• Teen birth rates have dropped significantly since major funding for abstinence education became a federal priority in 1998. As a result, billions more tax dollars have been saved.

Abstinence-centered education funding must continue to preserve the positive behavioral trends among teens and corresponding savings to taxpayers.

• Only abstinence programs devote over 50% of course time promoting abstinence among teens. In contrast, comprehensive programs spend less than 5% of course time promoting abstinence.
• Numerous published studies show that abstinence-centered education decreases sexual initiation, increases abstinent behavior among sexually experienced teens, and/or decreases the number of partners among sexually experienced teens.

Americans support continued funding for abstinence-centered education.

• In a recent survey, parents said they wanted more funding given to Abstinence Education than to Comprehensive Sex Education by a 3 to 1 margin. These findings of significant savings to taxpayers come at a critical time. With levels of teen sexual activity still too high and state and national lawmakers struggling to balance budgets, expenditures through abstinence education programs have an important impact. Continued funding and expansion of the nationwide abstinence education effort is warranted.