Indiana Nonprofit That Provides Support for Pregnant Women Sees 8% Decrease in State’s Abortion Rate

Real Alternatives, a prolife nonprofit, is celebrating six years giving “life-affirming” aid through its state government program In Indiana that’s helped cut the number of abortions there. RA is also marking 25 years serving Pennsylvania, seeing a third of a million clients there in that span. | Real Alternatives

The nonprofit behind an Indiana Department of Health Services program for parents and expectant mothers is celebrating six years serving Hoosiers and an 8% decrease in the state abortion rate during that period. It’s also marking a busy quarter-century helping Pennsylvanians choose life.

“Thanks to this continued statewide program, pregnant women have another person to assist them, which empowers them to overcome obstacles and pressures so they can choose life for their preborn baby,” said Real Alternatives CEO Kevin Bagatta in a statement on the group’s Indiana work.

The charitable organization, in releasing its fiscal year 2019-2020 year-end figures, said it provided “life-affirming counseling, mentoring and support services” to over 16,000 Hoosiers in running the Indiana Pregnancy and Parenting Support Program. The Health Department said the state’s abortion rate dropped 3.4% in the same time frame.

Mary Ellen Van Dyke, executive director of Right to Life of Southwest Indiana, told The Christian Post her group supports RA’s program, which received $2.25 million from the state government last fiscal year. She said such efforts help prospective mothers think through their choices and opportunities.

“I believe it makes a world of difference to have someone to present to you the facts, the realities, and to calm your fears,” she said to CP.

Real Alternatives said its work in the last year also led to 600 clients’ children getting updated immunizations, which the company calculated saved the state government over $12 million in medical costs. It also reported that counselor referrals for prenatal care for close to 12,000 women prevented $270 million in additional medically related spending.

Nearly 72,000 Indianans have used Real Alternatives’ services over its half-dozen years serving the state, which began by order of then-Gov. Mike Pence in 2014. “Real Alternatives has empowered women for life by providing positive, life-affirming pregnancy and parenting support services to women and families in need. I am grateful to all the men and women who have dedicated their time and talent,” Pence later wrote to the organization.

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SOURCE: Christian Post, Kyle Huckins