211 Brevard, an organization originally designed to assist with disaster services, emergency financial needs, and preventing crisis homeless situations, has kept a for-profit full-service Orlando abortion clinic on their list of nearly 1,600 organizations for the past several years. WomanCare, an abortion clinic that previously was based in Cocoa, applied for and received direct referrals from 211 Brevard.

211 Brevard never once publicly indicated to the various city and county governments that support it that those monies would be used to refer abortions to clinics outside the county.

I wrote to the director of 211 Brevard, Ms. Elizabeth “Libby” Donoghue, to see if she was aware that 211 Brevard was, in essence, giving free advertising to an abortion clinic in Orlando. She responded thus:

Like the local telephone book, internet, 4-1-1 or a community library, 2-1-1 is a non-partisan, non-idealistic and non-judgmental information source for many governmental, faith-based and community based health and human services. Our mission is to connect people to governmental, health or human services that are available to people in Brevard County. For the most part, these are services located in the county. In some instances, services are not located here but are available and of interest to local residents – these may be located in adjacent counties or may be internet-based services (e.g., online support groups).

Our 2-1-1 specialists generally provide abortion referrals as the result of a direct request (e.g., ‘may I have the number to…”), never as a recommendation. You may also have noted that our database contains information on abortion alternatives. Of more than 45,000 referrals made to nearly 1,200 programs last year, 45 were made to WomanCare and over 200 to programs listed as abortion alternatives.

Ms. Donoghue’s numbers were quite misleading. I wasn’t sure if she was trying to persuade me that the impact of such referrals is “minimal” by referring to the 45 telephone referrals to WomanCare last year, but if you ask me, that is 45 too many. That is 45 absolutely free, government-supported (and thus, taxpayer funded) referrals that a “for-profit” business was able to get out of 211 Brevard last year.

Aside from the obvious moral dilemmas placed on any pro-life staff (i.e. that they could be guilty of helping 45 babies to die), there is also the more obvious contrast of, again, a business that made approximately $500 per referral (a total of $22,000+) in one year - paid for by the money of Brevard taxpayers.

I pointed out to Ms. Donoghue the long and extremely controversial history of government money being used to fund or refer patients for abortions. Federal money, in particular, has, for many years, oscillated back and forth whenever it was shown that taxpayer money was used for this purpose. Even when money has been sent to supposedly “multi-service family planning clinics” (such as the kind run by Planned Parenthood), it has caused great stirs and controversy. Simply put, no matter your personal beliefs, the simple fact is that over one-half of the population is “pro-life” (or “anti-abortion”) and does not want their personal money going to fund such things.

What Ms. Donoghue failed to mention here was that out of 1,584 “programs” in the 211 Brevard database, that WomanCare was viewed online at the website 133 times, making it the 15th most popular online visit on your website. In other words, it was in the top one percentile of all programs viewed online. While I don’t believe all that web traffic resulted in direct referrals (as did the telephone calls), there’s no doubt that it is a popular destination for visitors on the 211 Brevard website. 1,568 other programs were viewed LESS than WomanCare. That is stunning.

Going back to 211 Brevard’s referrals which Ms. Donoghue seem to minimize, the reality is that even with “only” 45 referrals to WomanCare, they were still the 169th most popular referral out of that same 1,584 “programs”, placing it in the 11th percentile of telephone referrals - right next to the Melbourne Public Library and the above the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida. In other words, WomanCare’s referral rate by 211 Brevard is clearly significant when compared to the other organizations, most of whom are legitimate not-for-profit entities and government services.

I further cautioned Ms. Donoghue on the danger of tarnishing the otherwise good name of 211 Brevard by dipping its toes into the abortion industry.

1) You indicate here that 211 Brevard is really nothing more than a yellow pages book. Of course, the county, state, and federal money spent on the 211 program is clearly not intended to replicate the functionality of the more than abundent sources of information already available such as phone books or Google.

If that were so, I’d surely like my business to be listed in 211 Brevard - at taxpayer expense - and listed on the internet website. I’m sure most business owners would like the same.

But the intent of the program is to act as a sort of crisis help line for those who are in need: families without food or a place to stay, those feeling suicidal, abused women, etc.

Having referrals that go to a full-fledged for-profit abortion clinic is nothing more than a straightforward business referral.

In fact, considering that there are no open abortion clinics in Brevard, it is a bit suspect why 211 Brevard would just have “one” listed. I’m curious what the reaction of the other nearby clinics in Fort Pierce and Daytona Beach would think, not to mention the many other abortion clinics in Orlando, if they knew that government money in Brevard was being used to funnel business to one isolated clinic. I’m certainly not suggesting that be done (being pro-life), but having some first-hand experience in dealing with these abortion clinics, I can assure you that there is no more competitive industry in America. Once they learn of this, you’ll be inundated and my “pro-life” concern will seem like a mere ripple in the raging storm.

I trust you see my point here: Once the government begins referring business to “for profit” entities, a huge whole is ripped into the fabric of the fine line between “government services” and outright competition.

2) Abortion, while “legal”, is an elective surgery. When you take away the rhetoric from both sides about the “killing of a human life” or a “woman’s choice”, it is not too different from plastic surgery.

Again, we have an example of government money being used to funnel business to one particular business.

Surely, we can agree that the 211 Brevard operators are not licensed counselors and should show no partiality to a person’s situation. Thus, I find it highly questionable that they would take on the liability of referring a woman to a for-profit business whose only function is to administer abortion procedures. These women, who are in a “crisis pregnancy” should be instead referred to a licensed counseling center or a center which focuses, without regard to profit, on women in such situations. They should not be given the name of an abortion clinic and told that they have been “helped” by the government.

3) You mention the referrals to “abortion alternatives”. The sad reality is that “crisis pregnancy centers” are often forced to sometimes market themselves as “abortion alternatives” by either fiat from those that run these types of directories, or by the simple lack of knowledge in the public sphere. In other words, some directories (such as certain telephone books) require it, refusing to place them more appropriately under “Crisis Pregnancy Counseling Centers”. More often, market conditions force crisis pregnancy centers to do it because some people wouldn’t know to look under the words “crisis” or “pregnancy” in a phone book or directory.

You might imagine a concerned parent trying to get quality information for their pregnant teenage daughter. Knowing that an abortion clinic is, by its very nature, going to be biased toward true alternatives (not to mention complicit in turning a blind-eye when it comes to required reporting of certain laws (such as statutory rape), the parent opens a phone book to look for help. Naturally, they check the “abortion” section first in their stress, so many CPC’s are, by way of trying to help, forced to advertise in the field of “abortion alternatives”.

Thus, while you seem to applaud 211 Brevard’s 4:1 ratio of referrals to “abortion alternatives” over and above “abortion clinics”, I don’t find that amusing. As I previously stated, the situation is rather dire when you have 211 Brevard employees, using taxpayer funding, to directly refer patients, without proper understanding (and/or concern) for that person’s overall well-being, to a full-fledged abortion clinic for the termination of their pregnancy.

The point I’m trying to make is that no one should be referring women in crisis pregnancies to abortion clinics without them having heard of all the options and without their personal situation being discussed with trained counselors. It isn’t a matter of whether they should get the “abortion alternative” or the “abortion”. It’s a matter that they should be referred to a caring non-profit center where they can receive truthful and complete information before they make a decision to have an abortion. Should they then seek to still do so, there are plenty of ways for them to find the information necessary to do so - they surely should not be assisted by government-funded programs that were setup as a “lifeline” for those in dire need without resources.

Ms. Donoghue’s response to all of this was rather brief:

The 2-1-1 Board has considered your concerns. It is satisfied with the agency’s policy for determining what programs will be included in the database & will not be making any changes.

Libby Donoghue
Executive Director
2-1-1 Brevard Inc.
321.631.9290 ext. 202 tel
321.631.9291 fax

Except that, after my next email, Ms. Donoghue did make a significant change only days after supposedly reviewing. In that email, I had pointed out the flaws in her own reference to the 211 Brevard’s self-created policy:

I’m trying to determine under what part of your own policy permits the use of for-profit abortion facilities. Everyone who has read it seems to feel that it is specifically disallowed by your own policy. Indeed, it does seem confusing that your sole criterion for inclusion (your agency policy) seems to specifically exclude an abortion clinic’s inclusion.

Under Section M of Exclusions, it outlines pretty much what I relayed to you in my first letter, specifically that if you include one, you’ll have to include them all. If you include this abortion clinic (nothing more than a private medical practice (as defined by Florida state law), then you’ll not only have to include all of them that “service Brevard County”. There are about a dozen that would meet that standard. And of course, about 1,000 other private medical services that qualify equally under the law.

As a separate matter, there is a long and protracted history of abortion clinics (and in particular, this one) with skirting and abusing state and federal laws. Unlike a more reputable medical practice, abortion clinics routinely disregard federal and state reporting laws. Thus, under section A and F, such a ‘business’ would be excluded. I don’t expect that you would know that, but it is a significant angle that others will be bringing forth.

There’s quite a few other sections (G and E) that step in the gray area.

I would implore you to carefully consider how you’ll be able to justify publicly your inclusion of WomanCare.

So what did Ms. Donoghue do in response? She removed WomanCare and instead, put in two listings for Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando.

Our policy permits the inclusion of for-profit entities that provide “unique or specifically targeted services, or services that are otherwise scarce or difficult to access.” That said, we have learned that Planned Parenthood offers services in counties contiguous to Brevard. We have added their services to the database in lieu of WomanCare since it is also our policy to refer to not-for-profit services when available. Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.

Apparently, she just doesn’t get it. By doing so, 211 Brevard has made a statement that referrals for abortions is going to be, quite officially, one of their core services from now on. Planned Parenthood is the number one provider of abortions in America. 211 Brevard went so far as to place Planned Parenthood above the crisis pregnancy centers under “abortion alternative”. Do you think of Planned Parenthood when trying to look for alternatives for abortion? I’m sure Planned Parenthood is plenty grateful for the free business, along with the network of for-profit abortion clinics they support (for which Planned Parenthood staffers receive kickbacks).

I spoke briefly about this on Bill Mick Live on radio station WMMB this morning. As Matt Reed of Florida Today pointed out, the general immediate perception of 211 Brevard is an organization whose purpose is to refer people to the wide variety of disparate government agencies and non-profits that, particularly due to the large size of Brevard County. People do not think of 211 Brevard as a place where they can get information about crisis pregnancies. 211 Brevard’s contention is that since they also refer to “abortion alternative” agencies that they are taking a balanced approach.

My contention is simple: If 211 Brevard is going to take money from private donors along with city, state, county, and federal money, they should be upfront about the significant percentage of referrals for abortions that they are and will be involved in. On what basis does 211 Brevard justify some of the monies it has received? How much of it obtained under one pretense, was actually used as free advertising for an abortion clinic in Orlando, and now Planned Parenthood?

Here is a list of some of 211 Brevard’s major sources of revenue:

• The federal government’s 2006 fiscal year reports giving 211 Brevard $76,751 under the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s “Emergency Shelter Grants Program”.
• United Way of Brevard donated $175,500 to 211 Brevard for the 2007-08 year. It was United Way’s highest single recipient of funds even beating out the American Red Cross.
• The State of Florida, under the Department of Children and Families, is currently funding a 3-year contract with 211 Brevard worth $315,811 through 2009 for the purpose of information and referral services for mental health services.
• Brevard County’s most recent outlay was $50,000 under two departments: Housing and Emergency Management.
• The City of Melbourne approved $5,000 for 211 Brevard for their 2006-07 budget.

211 Brevard’s definition of a “community resource” is, apparently, abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood. Even though the state certification process does not require or forbid the use of referrals to abortion clinics, even a precursory read of the accreditation standards for 211 providers clearly demonstrates the intent and purpose of the program. When referring to training 211 staff, the accreditation manual states they should receive pre-service training so they should be expected to be skilled at “working with multicultural/ethnic inquirers, older adults, people with disabilities, sexual minorities, and other special populations; and techniques for handling calls from lonely, suicidal, despondent, or angry inquirers or those in crisis.” As expected, these are the very types we would expect to make use of 211 Brevard - not persons seeking abortions.

211 Brevard has already faced the chopping block by the Brevard County Commission this year. It cut $10,200 from its prior-year funding from its budget. Florida Today reported that “Libby Donoghue, executive director of 2-1-1 Brevard, said residents would be kept on hold longer and have less access to online databases if she couldn’t replace the $10,200 lost.”

While that claim is highly questionable, it does raise the question of why an agency that claims to be running tight on funds would spend its resources on referring women to abortion clinics and services, instead of the pressing needs it was designed to do. According to Ms. Donoghue, people who need real help may have to wait on hold longer. One reason, we now know, is that their staff is giving out referrals for abortions when they could be assisting people to get to the right government agency. It’s unclear what she meant by people having “less access” to online databases. In fact, it is a state mandate that an online database must be available at all times in order for 211 Brevard to be accredited.

In July 2007, Ms. Donoghue went to the Brevard County Commission at their budget workshop to push for continued funding of 211 Brevard, she extolled how 211 Brevard was saving the county money by taking away unnecessary calls from 9-1-1 and other county agencies. The minutes of that meeting demonstrate that her public “spin” on 211 Brevard is anything but organization assisting the abortion industry. Note her emphasis on hurricane assistance and 9-1-1 support:

Libby Donoghue stated in 2000 and 2001, the Board of County Commissioners, working with other organizations in the community, helped make Brevard County the first County in Florida, and the seventh in the United States, to offer 211 service to its citizens; the 211 service means crisis intervention and information about important community services; and referral to those services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She noted since that time, 211 Brevard has had a contract through the Housing and Human Services Department for $50,000 and that amount has not increased in the years since 2001. She advised in 2004, 211 Brevard answered almost as many calls in September of that year as it has answered in the last year related to Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne; the after-action report from Emergency Management noted the availability of a service like 211 meant those calls were diverted from 911 and Emergency Management officials, allowing them to focus on their primary public safety tasks; and based on that, 211 Brevard also has a contract with Emergency Management for $51,000. She advised the cost of the two contracts means that for 19 cents for every resident of Brevard County annually, they have access 24 hours a day to information about where to get those services. She noted when 211 Brevard became aware the actions of the Legislature were going to impact local funding, it began looking at what it could do to manage with cuts it anticipated to be between 10 and 30 percent; which is what she was hearing at the time; however, both of the contracts have been considered for elimination; and she wants to make sure the Board understands how critical those dollars are to the organization. She stated one of 211 Brevard’s other funders sent a letter to County Manager Peggy Busacca that compared 211 to the seat of a three-legged stool; if one of the legs are shortened, then there will be a wobbly, but functional stool; but if one leg is cut off, the stool is not going to function; and that is a very apt analogy for the situation 211 Brevard is in. She stated 211 Brevard recognizes the Board has terrible decisions to make, and it stands ready to share in those cuts with the other organizations in the community; but it hopes the Board will maintain some of the funding which is very critical to the operation.

Question for consideration:

• Are various governments and charitable organizations that support or work with 211 Brevard aware that 211 Brevard is now supporting direct referrals to abortion clinics and abortion providers like Planned Parenthood?
• Should 211 Brevard even be dipping its toe into the ugly business of abortion - and if so, is that jeopardizing its primary mission to give out information to people in crisis situations?
• Should counselors and staff be compelled to assist people locate abortion services if they have a moral objection to it?
• When the high rate of referrals to abortion clinics is considered, is 211 Brevard commingling funds from sources that have given money under the belief and pretense that the monies were being used for more laudable purposes?
• Should any referrals be given to groups or organizations outside Brevard County when money is collected in Brevard?
• What qualifies abortion as a “community resource” but not other elective surgeries, such as root canal and face lifts? Far more people have need of a root canal than an abortion, and yet businesses that specialize in root canals and face lifts can’t get a free listing on 211 Brevard’s website.

Update: Audio Interview with Radio Station WMMB-AM 1240/1350 AM below.

 

 WMMB Breaks 211 Brevard Story [21:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download