Project SOS, a Jacksonvile-based abstinence education program, has received more than $6.5 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since 2002 — including $454,000 in September 2010. This despite the fact that the group has been cited for teaching false information about HIV and is a supporter of Ugandan pastor Martin Ssempa, one of the most outspoken advocates of legislation in that country that prescribes the death penalty for homosexuals.
Project SOS' federal funding came through the Administration of Children and Families, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, via grants for Community Based Abstinence Education and a Healthy Marriage Demonstration grant. The abstinence education funding is made available through Title V (.pdf) of the Social Security Act. A provision of Title V requires that states provide a $3 match for every $4 in federal money.
Project SOS was founded in 1993 by former St. Johns County School Board member Pam Mullarkey and provides abstinence-only programs to public schools in several Florida counties.
At least two national watchdog groups, however, call into question the program's accuracy and efficacy.
The "Go APE (Abstinence Protects Everyone)" curriculum devised and taught by Project SOS was mentioned in a Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States report on teaching misinformation about HIV and AIDS. In another report, by the American School Health Association, Project SOS' in-school curriculum was evaluated on graphics, citation of current research and theory and was deemed "unacceptable" (.pdf) in overall content.
The group appears to have a broad reach in Florida schools.
According to an interview the group's founder and president gave to the American Family Association in 2003, her program was projected to reach "50,000 kids." A post on Project SOS' own website claims the group has reached nearly 300,000 Florida students since its founding.
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