Planned Parenthood

A federal rule change around family planning clinics being sought by the Trump administration could have a disproportionate effect on current and former foster youth. Advocates believe that the new rules could have a chilling effect on the likelihood for these young people to access birth control and screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

The Alliance for Children’s Rights announced today that Laurie Rubiner, a long-time political staffer and advocate in Washington, D.C., will become the advocacy organization’s new CEO. Rubiner is currently the chief of staff for Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and previously served as vice president for public policy and advocacy for Planned Parenthood and as legislative director for then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

By Lynsey Clark Alexandra Hernandez didn’t know what to do with her life when she was 15, she says. She knew what she didn’t want to do: go to school. “I was at this huge school and the teachers didn’t really care,” says Hernandez, now 19.

Every time sexual health educator Alma De Anda passes around the female condom in her class, all the students say ‘wow’ at the size of the contraception. “When we take it out it is hilarious because they are usually weirded out by it,” said De Anda, who talks about all types of contraception and sexual health discussions with foster youth in the Los Angeles area.