Ethics

Minnesota Gives Millions to Evangelical Rehab Program

By Ed Brayton

My colleague Andy Birkey at the Minnesota Independent reports that his state has spent $2.4 million since 2007 funding the Teen Challenge program, a faith-based evangelical Christian substance abuse treatment program.

Eric Vagle, Teen Challenge's communications director, acknowledges the religious nature of the treatment centers but says state money is kept separate from evangelical programming.

"The program services that are funded through the government are non-religious in nature, and while we do offer religious programming, it is not funded by government dollars and clients voluntarily choose to participate," he said.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on September 28, 2009 (boomark / email).