Kansas City Star Examines Pregnancy Prevention Program Aimed At Drug Users

The Kansas City Star on Wednesday examined Project Prevention -- a program that offers financial incentives to illicit drug users if they agree to take long-term birth control or undergo sterilization surgery. The group's founder, Barbara Harris, started the program in 1998 in California under the name Children Requiring a Caring Kommunity, or CRACK. According to the Star, Project Prevention now has chapters in 27 states and has paid incentives to almost 1,900 drug users -- most of whom were white, female clients -- in 39 states. Clients can receive $300 annually if they agree to remain on Depo-Provera, a long-birth control shot that is administered every three months, the group says. Project Prevention also pays the same amount to female drug users who agree to undergo sterilization surgery, the Star reports. About 700 women have undergone sterilization surgery as clients of Project Prevention, according to the group. Clients are paid after the group receives paperwork proving they have followed through with the agreement. About 200 clients have enrolled this year in the program, and the group is seeking to end the year with at least 2,006 paid clients, the Star reports. Some critics are concerned the program "is racist, disproportionately focusing on minority women, and preys on people ill-prepared to make life-altering decisions, or those easily swayed by an offer of fast cash," according to the Star. Harris said, "People say we don't have a right to tell them how many children they can have," adding, "I disagree" (Shultz, Kansas City Star, 7/19).

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