Chapter 9, Part II: Target Populations
Health reforms relative to “family planning†(population control) that target the low income, minorities, and adolescents, appear to be discrim-inatory.? It is undignified and immoral for school districts, hospitals, local government and others to financially gain through the collection of Medicaid funds? for providing or referring those who are less financially fortunate for sterilization.
|
G |
overnment goals and objectives such as reducing unintended pregnancies? to no more than 30 percent have targeted populations such as adolescents and the poor or “low income.â€
As the cost of bureaucracy, living expenses and taxes? rise, the percentage of the population qualifying as “low income†rises.? ? Additional terms used to define targeted populations include “near poor†and “working poor.â€
Healthy Communities 2000? Model Standards Guidelines for Community Attainment of the Year 2000 National Health Objectives is a docuÂment of The American Public Health Association, Inc.? According to the March 3, 1995, issue of the St. Louis Review, “Healthy Communities 2000″ originated with the World Health Organization? in the 1980s and was the basis of the U.S. Department of Health’s 1990 document titled? Healthy People 2000.?
The World Health Organization is an agency of the United Nations.? One can see that “local control†is a myth when “local†goals, outcomes? and objectives have been mandated? by the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the federal government.?
Stated at the beginÂning of each chapter of Healthy Communities is:? “Model Standards Note: Healthy People 2000? Objectives are national in scope and are provided as a guide for action by state and local communities.? As such, they have been restated in their entirety without change.? The target for each of these objectives has been repeated verbatim as a reference for community use.? However, communities are encouraged to establish targets based on their own situations and where possible establish targets that are more ambitious than the national referÂence.
“Model Standards Note: In this edition the word ‘other’ has been added to each Healthy People 2000? Objective which contains a Special Population Target.? The use of the word ‘other’ is meant to suggest that communities may wish to develop special population targets for community-specific sub populations, for example, for selected age, race, sex, income, and/or other high-risk groups.â€
The family planning? section of Healthy Communities 2000? lists the “Special Population Target†to include:? “Black and Hispanic adolescent girls aged 15-19, black women, black, and Hispanic couples.â€[1]
Regarding client counselÂing, page 74 of Healthy Communities 2000? states that one goal is to increase the proportion of pregnancy counselors who offer accurate information about ABORTION, adoption, and parenthood.?
Verbiage such as “specific target populations, focus(ing) services on specific population groups, (and) targeted prenatal case management†are also found in state and school district manuals.[2] Thus federal goals are implemented locally.
[1] Healthy Communities 2000 Model Standards Guidelines for Community Attainment of the Year 2000 National Health Objectives, The American Public Health Association Inc.; 1015- 5th St. NW; Washington, D.C. 20005; ISBN 0-87553-204-7, pp. 72-74.
[2] Medicaid EPSDT Administrative Case Management Procedures for Missouri Schools,? Mar. 1994 Draft,