Confidential Adolescent Health Care Services

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. In 2005 Texas ranked 4th nationally in teen pregnancies with 88 pregnancies annually per 1,000 women ages 15-19; accounting for 51,180 births in 2005. Texas ranked 1st in the nation in teen births. (January, 2010, Allan Guttmacher Institute: U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/USTPtrends.pdf)

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.

Public opinion

The Scripps Howard Texas Poll (Summer 2004):

    More than 80,000 Texas teenagers become pregnant every year. Do you favor or oppose teaching public school students with age appropriate, medically accurate sex education that includes information on abstinence, birth control and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV?

    Favor: 90%

    Oppose: 6%

    Neutral: 1%

    Depends what age: 2%

    No Answer: 1%


    Do you favor or oppose increased funding for family planning services and counseling to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions?

    Favor: 80%

    Oppose: 16%

    No Answer: 4%


  • 77% of Texans agree that health insurance plans in Texas should cover the cost of all FDA approved contraception if they cover other prescription medications.

(August 2004. Sample size = 1000. Margin of error for whole sample is +- 3 percentage points.)

The following organizations oppose mandatory parental involvement in family planning:

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.