Following the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, Care Net President and CEO Roland Warren, like pro-life leaders across the nation, celebrated the decision, saying “it was a monumental day in our efforts to protect the unborn.”
But he also stressed how Care Net’s work would become more critical than ever in the aftermath of Dobbs.
“Regardless of how the laws of our land play out over the next several years, women and men will continue to face tough pregnancy decisions,” Roland said. “Changed laws don’t equal changed hearts. The Supreme Court can’t outlaw unplanned, unexpected, and unexpectedly complicated pregnancies.”
Two years later, that sentiment has certainly proved to be true. Pro-life work is as critical as ever in 2024. Abortions have actually increased since the historic Supreme Court decision due to legal, social, and economic factors, including increased access to the abortion pill Misoprostol and radical activism in states like New York, California, and New Jersey. Additionally, pregnancy resource centers continue to come under intense scrutiny from legislators seeking to discredit them and limit their impact through public relations campaigns and proposed laws.
Sensing the need for united action, a group of organizations and individuals, including Care Net, have joined the Blueprint for Life Coalition.
“Two years after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, America needs bold leadership to continue to advance the cause of life,” reads a statement on the website. “That’s why we’re uniting as pro-life leaders across the country around a path forward that is laser-focused on care for young children and their parents. This is the next phase of the pro-life movement.”
The next phase of the movement includes a campaign “to support children and parents in the fourth trimester and early years.” The coalition supports advocacy for seven policy pillars on both a federal and state level as a blueprint to build and strengthen a culture of life in our nation. The seven pillars are:
#1 Providing Parents with Flexible Resources to Support Birth and Early Childhood. A greater culture of life would minimize the financial burden on parents to underscore the moral and societal value of preserving such life. The coalition promotes two core policies: extension and expansion of the child tax credit and institution of a federal paid family leave policy to get more resources in the hands of parents in the fourth trimester.
#2 Making Childcare Possible. The coalition supports increasing resources for childcare, ensuring that faith-based providers have access to such resources, and leveling the playing field for families that would prefer a stay-at-home parent or relative care.
#3 Meeting Healthcare Needs. Healthcare challenges are at the forefront of pregnant moms’ and new parents’ minds. The coalition supports strengthening healthcare resources and services for children and parents, mainly by examining services available under SCHIP and the WIC program, expanding Medicaid to cover post-partum care, and greater support of community health and pregnancy resource centers.
#4 Supporting Adoptive Parents. The availability of adoptive services can be a significant motivator for mothers to carry a child to term. The coalition supports reducing the financial burdens of adoption by expanding the adoption tax credit and taking steps to simplify and streamline the adoption process, strengthen the foster care system through nonprofit partnerships, and harmonize resources available to biological and adoptive parents with young children.
#5 Increasing Information Availability to Pregnant and New Mothers. Many pregnant and new mothers are unaware of the array of federal, state, and local resources available to them to support them in their pregnancy and parenting journey. The coalition supports greater clarity and availability of resource information by creating a national “one-stop” online resource website and increasing information available on college campuses and workplaces.
#6 Ensuring Information Access and Greater Partnership Between Government, Faith-Based, and Nonprofit Partners. Churches, nonprofits, and other private organizations are essential players in a culture of life and already account for billions of dollars of care-related resources. The coalition supports greater information-sharing between government and faith-based/nonprofit organizations, resources to support nonprofit and faith-based social services initiatives, and more robust legal protections for faith-based organizations partnering with government actors.
#7 Strengthening mentorship opportunities and relational networks. Research consistently shows that strong relational networks and dedicated mentoring are among the most effective means of advancing upward mobility and helping families navigate the complexities of post-pregnancy life. The coalition supports mentoring initiatives in partnership with local and faith-based organizations and a greater focus on mentoring partnerships in schools and social services programs.
Blueprint for Life signers include Senator Rick Santorum, Governor Mike Huckabee, Care Net, Students for Life Action, Americans United for Life, American Principles Project, National Hispanic Pastors Alliance, Live Action, American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs, Pro-Life Action League, Family Policy Alliance, Pro-Life Partners Foundation, Human Coalition Action, Heartbeat International, Democrats for Life, and several others.