Discussing Florida’s crisis pregnancy centers with state Rep. Plakon

The website of state Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, who is running unopposed for reelection, states that Plakon “unequivocally supports any legislation created for the protection of all human life, in the womb and outside it. There is nothing in this world more sacred than our children and Scott’s support for pro-life legislation will be strong and unwavering.”

He is a vocal supporter of the Florida Pregnancy Support Services Program (which The Florida Independent has examined at length) and worked hard last year to avoid a budget cut to the program.

Department of Health offers minimal oversight of state-funded crisis pregnancy clinics

Department of Health records obtained by The Florida Independent show that oversight of Florida’s state-funded crisis pregnancy clinic chain mainly rests in the hands of the two organizations contracted by the state to run those clinics — the nonprofit Florida Pregnancy Care Network and the for-profit Uzzell Group.

That means the Department of Health has little direct insight into how public money is being spent at 79 crisis pregnancy centers around the state, and if those dollars are being used to disseminate disputed science on abortion or to promote religious content.

Advertising agency manages 17 state-funded pregnancy clinics

Tuesday, we examined at length a Florida taxpayer-funded network of Crisis Pregnancy Centers that we found was distributing medical information that was, in the best case, biased, and in the worst case, wrong.

The Florida Pregnancy Care Network manages 55 of these state-funded pregnancy clinics, but according to Department of Health information, another 17 are handled by The Uzzell Group, a Tallahassee-based marketing and advertising firm. Why is a marketing company managing pregnancy clinics? The firm wouldn’t answer our questions.

State-funded pregnancy clinics disseminate questionable science on abortion (Updated)

Crisis Pregnancy Centers, funded by the state of Florida, are distributing brochures that suggest abortion causes mental illness, including depression, addiction and suicide. In the best case, the information handed out is biased; in the worst case, sources say, it is wrong.