Press Release from Family Planning Association of New Jersey
March 16, 2010
Michele Jaker

Trenton, NJ - The Family Planning Association of New Jersey today criticized the Governor’s budget for decimating women’s health care in New Jersey.
 
“Gov. Christie’s misguided budget cuts hurt women and costs the state money,” said Michele Jaker, Executive Director. “Investing in women’s health is not only good policy, it helps save money. Each public dollar spent to provide family planning services saves an estimated $4 that would otherwise be spent in Medicaid-related costs alone.  So, for the money saved by eliminating state funding for women’s health care the state will pay at least $28 million more in Medicaid expenses.  It just makes no sense.” 
 
“The best way to prevent unintended pregnancies and promote healthy families is to invest in family planning, and ensure that women and families have access to affordable, quality reproductive health care” said Jaker.  “Instead, Governor Christie wants to completely eliminate critical funds that reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.  New Jersey already ranks 36th in public support for reproductive health care and this proposed budget will put us back even further.”
 
Governor Christie’s FY11 state budget proposes the complete elimination of state funding for family planning services.  Last year, this budget line allocated over $7 million for basic reproductive health care services including routine gynecological exams; basic contraception; screening for high blood pressure, anemia and diabetes; breast and cervical cancer screening and education; screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs); HIV testing and counseling; pre-pregnancy counseling and education; pregnancy testing and confirmation; and prenatal care and/or referral.  State dollars are not used for abortion services. 
 
Last year, New Jersey’s family planning health centers provided:
• Reproductive and preventive health care to 126,903 women and 9461 men;
• Breast examinations to 70,506 women with 4039 referrals for further evaluation;
• Pap tests to 65,252 women;
• HIV tests to 27,386 women and men;
• 57,027 tests for Gonorrhea, 7727 tests for Syphilis and 66,035 tests for Chlamydia;
• Services to 97,129 women and men without health insurance.

In 2009, New Jersey family planning health centers helped prevent: 39,782 unintended pregnancies, and 18,896 abortions.  As a result, New Jersey saved well over $150,000,000 in one year.

• $142,282,906 savings in Medicaid health related costs (prenatal care & delivery);
• $9,893,945 savings in Medicaid abortion costs; and
• millions of dollars saved in other state programs.
 
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About the Family Planning Association of New Jersey
The Family Planning Association of New Jersey is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to protecting and expanding access to comprehensive reproductive health services for women and men throughout New Jersey. Our members include hospitals, county health departments, independent non-profit corporations, and Planned Parenthood affiliates and serve over 136,000 women and men each year.