Under his direction, HIV prevention programs have shifted from being based in public health science to being dictated by the abstinence-only-until-marriage ideology of the Bush administration.

We've known for some time that abstinence-only is bad science, bad policy, and a blatant violation of medical ethics and basic human rights. And as more people find out what is being taught and what is being censored in these ineffective programs, more and more of these 'stay pure or we don't care about you' programs will be banned from public schools.

America's health care system is in crisis precisely because we systematically neglect wellness and prevention.

We have demonstrated that prevention works and deserves support, ... Nevertheless, as in most areas of public health, support for prevention is frequently more rhetorical than substantive.

Sen. Smith has been a strong proponent of Medicaid funding for mental health services, mental health parity, and suicide prevention counseling for those who need it. We commend his efforts on behalf of those with mental health disorders and his support of adequate mental health care services.

This just shows you that we really need to put more resources on prevention. No matter how well we plan, you can't plan for everything. The big lesson is that there are limits to our response.