Care Net
{{Short description|Evangelical Christian crisis pregnancy center organization}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}}
Care Net is an evangelical Christian network of crisis pregnancy centers operating primarily in the United States. As an anti-abortion organization, its centers seek to persuade women not to have abortions.{{cite web|title=Care Net Website|url=http://www.care-net.org}} Headquartered in Northern Virginia, it is one of the nation's two largest networks of crisis pregnancy centers (along with Heartbeat International).
History
According to its literature, Care Net was influenced by the leadership of former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop and Christian apologist Dr. Francis Schaeffer. The organization was founded in 1975 as the Christian Action Council by Dr. Harold O. J. Brown, with its primary focus to engage evangelicals in responding to the "abortion crisis". It opened its first crisis pregnancy center in 1983.{{cite web |url=http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF12A47.pdf |title=Passion to Serve 2010, Page 7 |author= |website= Family Research Council Website |accessdate=25 June 2013}}
In the 1990s, the organization’s mission shifted toward supporting anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers; in 1999, the organization changed its name to Care Net. Care Net reports having 1,100 affiliated pregnancy centers across North America.{{cite web|work=Care Net Website|url=https://www.care-net.org/aboutus/history.php |title=History |accessdate=25 June 2013}}{{cite web|work=Care Net Website |url=http://www.care-net.org/affiliation/index.php |title=Affiliation |accessdate=1 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229051116/https://www.care-net.org/affiliation/index.php |archivedate=29 December 2010 }} In 2012, Roland C. Warren, former president of the National Fatherhood Initiative, joined Care Net as president and CEO.{{cite web |url=https://www.care-net.org/aboutus/bio.php?id=59 |title=Warren Bio |author= |website= Care Net Website |accessdate=20 June 2013}}
Activities
In addition to counseling clients against abortion, Care Net affiliated centers may provide mothers with services such as temporary shelter, help with jobs, debt and welfare applications, Bible study, and baby supplies such as used clothing, diapers and formula.{{Cite news |work=Time |title=Where can pregnant teens turn? |date=February 20, 1995 |first=Elizabeth |last=Gleick}} Care Net, like other CPC networks, touts medically disputed or discredited information about the supposed health risks of abortion;{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/17/AR2006071701078_pf.html |first=Kevin |last=Freking |agency=AP |title=Report: Women Misled on Abortion Risks |date=July 18, 2006 |work=The Washington Post}}{{Cite news |work=Providence Journal |title=Cranston center adds to 'pro-life' arsenal |date=January 10, 2008}}{{Cite news |url=http://floridaindependent.com/7120/state-funded-pregnancy-clinics-disseminate-questionable-science-on-abortion |work=Florida Independent |title=State-funded pregnancy clinics disseminate questionable science on abortion |first=Marcos |last=Restrepo |date=September 7, 2010}} it sometimes locates its centers near Planned Parenthood clinics and uses signs that read "Pregnant? Considering abortion? Free services," or otherwise advertises them as though they were medical clinics.{{cite web|title=Advertising Practices Raise Concerns|url=http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/13/2465545/advertising-practices-of-crisis.html}} Some Care Net affiliated clinics offer ultrasounds.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/05/health/pregnancy-centers-gain-influence-in-anti-abortion-fight.html?pagewanted=all |title=Pregnancy Centers Gain Influence in Anti-Abortion Fight |author=Pam Belluck |website= NYTimes.com |accessdate=25 June 2013 |date=4 January 2013}} Care Net pregnancy centers have been honored by at least fifteen state legislatures, according to advocacy organization Americans United for Life.{{cite web |url=http://www.aul.org/2013/02/the-defending-life-report/ |title=Defending Life 2013, Page 152 |author= |website= Americans United for Life Website |accessdate=25 June 2013}}{{better source|date=July 2013}}
References
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