HHS Assistant Secretary for children, families to step down

Wade Horn -- assistant secretary for HHS' Administration for Children and Families, who oversees abstinence education programs for the Bush administration -- on Monday announced that he will resign from his position, the Washington Post reports.

Horn will accept a consultant position with the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche.

As assistant secretary, Horn oversaw a $46 billion budget for 65 programs, including abstinence education programs, according to the Post (Washington Post, 4/3).

Horn said that holding the position has "been a privilege," adding, "How often do you have the opportunity to get up each morning and affect the lives of million of children and families in positive ways?"

Funding for abstinence education increased to more than $200 million annually during Horn's tenure, which began in July 2001.

Some groups would prefer that the funding instead go toward comprehensive sex education programs that included abstinence education in the curriculum, the AP/Canton Repository reports.

"Because (the abstinence funding) is so contrary to public health, our hope is the next assistant secretary there can have a firmer footing on what the evidence says, "William Smith, vice president for public policy for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, said.

Horn, a child psychologist, will resign effective Sunday (AP/Canton Repository, 4/3).

According a statement by HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, Daniel Schneider, a deputy assistant secretary for children and families, will serve as acting assistant secretary until a replacement for Horn is named (HHS release, 4/2).