The following letter was sent on April 29, 2010 to our press contact list,
our medical contact list, and our general contact list.
To the editor:
Governor Christie’s FY11 state budget proposes the complete
elimination of state funding for family planning services.
These programs provide basic health care to New Jersey women and
men, many of whom have recently lost their jobs and/or their
health insurance.
Restoring the funds for family planning makes sense because:
● |
For every $1 spent on family planning services,
$4 in Medicaid costs is saved. |
● |
In New Jersey in 2009, family planning agencies
provided services to over 136,000 women and men. |
● |
Over one million New Jersey residents are
uninsured and nearly 400,000 New Jersey women are in
need of subsidized family planning services. |
● |
Family planning agencies are often the gateway
to primary health care services for low income and
working families who would otherwise not seek
traditional preventive health care. |
Our community will be hurt if these services are eliminated.
The Middlesex County Chapter of the National Organization for
Women calls upon Governor Christie and our legislators to fully
restore funding for family planning.
Skip Drumm, President
Middlesex County National Organization for Women
PO Box 1432
Highland Park, New Jersey
<phone number omitted from the on-line copy> |