Controversial campaign in Grand Junction

I just read an interesting article in the GJSentinel.com about a controversial new project that has come to Grand Junction.  This article entitled, “Nonprofit group pays to get birth control, sterilizations” talks about a program called Project Prevention, which offers free birth control, sterilizations and even 300 dollars in cash to drug-addicted mothers who receive the free temporary or permanent birth control.  Men can receive cash if they agree to receive vasectomies.  Mesa County by Commissioner Janet Rowland invited Project prevention head, Barbara Harris of North Carolina to visit Grand Junction.  Barbara Harris was on hand Wednesday night at the Mesa County Health Department speaking to an audience of approximately 12 journalists and members of the liberal advocacy group A Voice of Reason Project prevention.

This project is not without its critics.  A Voice of Reason is oppose to this project on the grounds that it provides cash money to women who are addicted to drugs, who they say, will only use the money to buy more drugs.  They are also against sterilizing people who use drugs because it “is racially discriminatory”.  Other critics are against the concept of paying someone in order to motivate them to use birth control while others say those who are using drugs cannot make sound decisions.

The Project Prevention website says that approximately 2,500 women have already received cash for using birth control.  In term of race, white women comprised more than half of those who have been paid to use birth control, black women ranked second.

In order to qualify for this program, the women must prove they use drugs by showing an arrest document or a statement from a rehabilitation clinic.  Men or women who want to qualify for this sterilization program must be sober and this program does not subsidize birth control pills.

Whether you agree with the idea behind this program or are against it, I would recommend reading this article in its entirety.

Please click to read this article.