Even with a looming state shutdown, public health is looking to keep the free clinic serving young women.

The county board passed a motion for Public Health Director Margene Gunderson to seek $57,793 in family planning dollars, which will go into effect July 1, 2011.

Most of the money goes toward education efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases in teens and young adults.

“We’ve had just an ungodly number of pregnancies,” Commissioner Ray Tucker said.

While Gunderson admitted the money isn’t a blanket solution, she said it helps address the problem Mower’s high teen pregnancy rate.

“This money doesn’t go very far. … Are we hitting everybody? No. But we’re trying to the best we can with the money available,” Gunderson said.

The county ranks seventh in the state for highest rate of teen pregnancies per 1,000 people ages 15 to 19.

In the 20 years she’s worked in public health, Gunderson said teen pregnancy has always been high. However, she noted Mower County has climbed into the top 10 more recently.

Mower County has a pregnancy rate of 1 in 17 for teens ages 15 to 19, compared to the state rate of 1 in 27, according to public health statistics.

That breaks down to 1 in 37 for ages 15 to 17 compared to 1 in 53 statewide. For ages 18 to 19, the rating in 1 in 9 compared to the state’s 1 in 16 rate.