Latest news with #TitleX-funded
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
At least 20 Planned Parenthood clinics shutter amid political turbulence
At least 20 Planned Parenthood clinics across seven states have shuttered since the start of 2025 or have announced plans to close soon – closures that come amid immense financial and political turbulence for the reproductive health giant as the United States continues to grapple with the fallout from the end of Roe v Wade. The Planned Parenthood network, which operates nearly 600 clinics through a web of independent regional affiliates and is overseen by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, is facing a number of threats from the Trump administration. A Guardian analysis has found that Planned Parenthood closures have occurred or are in the works across six affiliates that maintain clinics in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Utah and Vermont. In late March, the Trump administration suddenly froze tens of millions of dollars in funding for nine Planned Parenthood affiliates, including at least two that have since closed clinics or are set to do so soon. The funding, which flowed from the federal family planning program Title X, was used to provide services such as contraception, cancer screenings and STI tests. 'The ways in which this administration is dismantling access to public health and public health information are really troubling and, frankly, force us to make these difficult decisions very quickly,' said Shireen Ghorbani, interim president of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, which saw $2.8m of its Title X funding – 20% of the affiliate's budget – frozen under the Trump administration. It has since closed two clinics as well as laid off a number of staffers who worked on initiatives like sex education. Last year, Ghorbani said, 26,000 Utahns received Title X-funded care at Planned Parenthood. Ghorbani does not believe that Utah's Republican-controlled state legislature will step in to create a substitute program. 'I will be shocked if a single cent is spent to make sure that people are able to control their health and their sexual and reproductive lives,' she said. Planned Parenthood's financial woes have raised eyebrows for some advocates of abortion rights and reproductive health. The organization has weathered several crises, including allegations of mismanagement, in the years since Roe collapsed – but as the face of US abortion access it continued to rake in donations. (Most abortions in the US are in fact performed by small 'independent' clinics, which are grappling with their own financial turmoil.) As of June 2023, the Planned Parenthood network had about $3bn in assets, according to its 2024 report. In April, Planned Parenthood of Michigan's announced that it would cut its staffing by 10% and close four clinics. Viktoria Koskenoja, an emergency medicine doctor who worked at one of the clinics that has closed, said that the closures came as 'a real shock'. 'It's sort of a frantic scramble right now to figure out where these patients are going to be able to go,' said Koskenoja, who lives in Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula. 'People are just going to get worse care for the time being, until we can figure something out.' She added: 'I think that if they had asked for money from the community to keep it open, people would have donated.' In a press release, Planned Parenthood of Michigan attributed the closures and layoffs to 'historic threats and cuts to federal funding'. The cuts to Title X, it said, 'deal a devastating financial blow to healthcare providers like PPMI'. But Planned Parenthood of Michigan was not among the Planned Parenthood affiliates that saw their Title X funding frozen. In Michigan, the federal government distributes Title X funding to the state's department of health and human services, which in turn doles money out to clinics, including those run by Planned Parenthood of Michigan. The Michigan department of health and human services has not seen a disruption in Title X funding. Planned Parenthood of Michigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the clinic closures and the role of Title X in those closures. The squeeze the organization is navigating may be about to tighten. Republicans at the national level are ramping up their campaign to 'defund' Planned Parenthood by kicking it out of Medicaid, the government insurance program for low-income people. Of the 2.4 million people treated at Planned Parenthood nationwide each year, nearly half rely on Medicaid. Related: Supreme court weighs South Carolina effort to defund Planned Parenthood Additionally, the supreme court is weighing a case involving an attempt by South Carolina to remove Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program over the organization's status as an abortion provider. If the high court greenlights South Carolina's move, it could pave the way for other red states to refuse to reimburse Planned Parenthood for Medicaid costs. In Congress, Republicans' 'one big beautiful' tax bill, which has passed the House of Representatives and is now being considered in the Senate, also includes a provision that would effectively bar organizations that offer abortions from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for other reproductive health services. The provision is so narrowly tailored – it only applies to organizations that received more than $1m in Medicaid reimbursements – that it would only affect Planned Parenthood. 'Plain and simple, this reconciliation bill is about attacking Planned Parenthood,' Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO and president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement. If the tax bill passes as is, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York would lose about $20m and be forced to close clinics, according to Wendy Stark, the affiliate's CEO and president. 'Here we are, a few years post-Dobbs, and you're seeing health providers in [abortion] access states really struggle financially,' Stark said, referring to Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health, the supreme court decision that overturned Roe. 'That's not an accident, right? What's going on currently with the administration has been layered on top of existing threats and challenges.' Planned Parenthood of Greater New York is currently looking to sell its only Manhattan clinic. Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement rates, Stark said, were already too low, especially as the costs of medical supplies, insurance and rent have all risen in the years since the Covid pandemic. Last year, it cost the affiliate about $67m to provide healthcare services, but it only received about $36m in insurance reimbursements, she added. It shuttered four clinics in 2024.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Reproductive health group, ACLU sue Trump administration over Title X funding
One of the country's largest reproductive health advocacy groups is suing the Trump administration for withholding millions of dollars in federal family planning grants earlier this year. The National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday, claiming the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 'unlawfully withheld' $65.8 million in Title X funds to 16 family planning groups. Title X is the nation's only federally funded family planning program providing birth control and reproductive health care to low-income Americans. More than a dozen family planning organizations, including nine Planned Parenthood affiliates, received letters in late March stating the Trump administration planned to 'temporarily withhold' their allotted Title X grant funding. The administration restored millions in funding a few days later, but those dollars went to Oklahoma and Tennessee state health departments, which had been barred from receiving Title X funds during the Biden administration for violating some of the program's rules. 'The consequences of withholding funding are devastating,' said Clare Coleman, president and CEO of NFPRHA. 'The loss of Title X means hundreds of thousands of patients are at risk of losing access to critical health care.' Since the funds were frozen, more than 860 family planning service sites across 22 states have been unable to provide 'critical health care' such as contraception, cancer screenings and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, according to the lawsuit. At least seven states — California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana and Utah — no longer have any Title X-funded family planning services, the lawsuit adds. The plaintiffs are asking the court to force HHS to dispense Title X to the 16 groups that have had their grant money withheld and pay the NFPRHA and the ACLU's legal fees associated with filing the lawsuit. They argue that by withholding the funds, the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act, an almost 80-year-old federal law that governs the process that federal agencies use to craft and implement new regulations. They also argue HHS acted 'arbitrarily and capriciously' when deciding to withhold Title X funds for the 16 family planning groups since it did not provide a 'reasonable explanation or justification' for its actions. Plaintiffs argue that the agency targeted those particular family planning groups for making public statements supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and opposing racism, according to a press release from NFPRHA. HHS has not responded to a request for comment about the lawsuit from The Hill. 'Withholding Title X funding for critical reproductive health care is the latest Trump administration attack on our communities,' said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the Reproductive Freedom Project at the ACLU. 'In its zeal to take away reproductive health care from the marginalized communities, the federal government violated its own laws, and it must be held accountable.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
25-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Reproductive health group, ACLU sue Trump administration over Title X funding
One of the country's largest reproductive health advocacy groups is suing the Trump administration for withholding millions of dollars in federal family planning grants earlier this year. The National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Thursday, claiming the Department of Health and Human Services 'unlawfully withheld' $65.8 million in Title X funds to 16 family planning groups. Title X is the nation's only federally funded family planning program providing birth control and reproductive health care to low-income Americans. More than a dozen family planning organizations, including nine Planned Parenthood affiliates, received letters in late March stating the Trump administration planned to 'temporarily withhold' their allotted Title X grant funding. The administration restored millions in funding a few days later, but those dollars went to Oklahoma and Tennessee state health departments, which had been barred from receiving Title X funds during the Biden administration for violating some of the program's rules. 'The consequences of withholding funding are devastating,' said Clare Coleman, president and CEO of NFPRHA. 'The loss of Title X means hundreds of thousands of patients are at risk of losing access to critical health care.' Since the funds were frozen more than 860 family planning service sites across 22 states have been unable to provide 'critical health care' like contraception, cancer screenings and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, according to the lawsuit. At least seven states—California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana and Utah—no longer have any Title X-funded family planning services, the lawsuit adds. The plaintiffs are asking the court to force HHS to dispense Title X to the 16 groups that have had their grant money withheld and pay the NFPRHA and the ACLU's legal fees associated with filing the lawsuit. They argue that by withholding the funds, the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act, an almost 80-year-old federal law that governs the process that federal agencies use to craft and implement new regulations. They also argue that HHS acted 'arbitrarily and capriciously' when deciding to withhold Title X funds for the 16 family planning groups since it did not provide a 'reasonable explanation or justification' for its actions. Plaintiffs argue that the agency targeted those particular family planning groups for making public statements supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and opposing racism, according to a press release from NFPRHA. HHS has not responded to a request for comment about the lawsuit from The Hill. 'Withholding Title X funding for critical reproductive health care is the latest Trump administration attack on our communities,' said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the Reproductive Freedom Project at the ACLU. 'In its zeal to take away reproductive health care from the marginalized communities, the federal government violated its own laws, and it must be held accountable.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration targets Planned Parenthood's family-planning grants in Oklahoma
More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that the funding they receive under the Title X family-planning program would be temporarily frozen, Politico first reported Monday night. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for managing and distributing Title X funds, told States Newsroom via email that it is reviewing all Title X grant recipients to make sure they comply with federal law and President Donald Trump's executive orders. The department is concerned about 'the compliance of several awardees' that together receive $27.5 million, according to an HHS spokesperson, who added, 'HHS expects all recipients of federal funding to comply with federal law.' Letters received by some affiliates detailed possible violations of federal civil rights laws and executive orders recently issued by Trump, including the administration's efforts to prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and provide care regardless of a person's immigration status. 'It is difficult to overstate how ridiculous it is that the administration is premising this funding freeze on a 'DEI review,'' said Amy Friedrich-Karnik, Guttmacher's director of federal policy, in a statement. 'The entire point of the Title X program is to address disparities in access to contraception and other sexual and reproductive health care, including serving people with low incomes and those from other historically underserved communities. We need to see this for what it is — a direct attack on health equity.' The Title X program was established in 1970 to provide reproductive health care for anyone who needs it. Federal law prohibits use of federal funds for abortion. Planned Parenthood clinics offer a broad range of non-abortion services. No final decisions have been made regarding Title X funding for Planned Parenthood. Affiliates in Alaska, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and others reported receiving the notification, representing thousands of people served at each clinic every year and millions in funds. Guttmacher's data shows that 83% of people who visited Title X-funded clinics in 2023 had family incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. In Missouri and Oklahoma alone, Title X funding totals nearly $8.5 million, according to a news release from Missouri Family Health Council. 'Withholding these critical funds, even temporarily, threatens the essential sexual and reproductive health care communities depend on,' said Michelle Trupiano, executive director of the council. Kat Mavengere, spokesperson for Maine Family Planning, said the agency also received notice of a freeze affecting $1.92 million in funds. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is a sub-grantee of Maine Family Planning. Mavengere told States Newsroom the notice from HHS identified two items on their website 'related to documents that detail our commitment to health equity' as reasons for the funding review. Nicole Clegg, CEO of the Northern New England Planned Parenthood affiliate, said it receives about $900,000 in funds between Maine and New Hampshire from the family-planning organization. If people can't seek basic reproductive health services at no cost, including wellness exams, Clegg said they go without. 'We've seen that. When Planned Parenthoods leave communities, the data just speaks to increases in STI transmission, increases in unintended pregnancy … there are very real consequences to a community when we're no longer there,' Clegg said. A recent poll conducted by Perry Undem showed 77% of respondents were opposed to the idea of the Trump administration cutting funding for services like birth control for people with low incomes. During his first term, Trump also cut Title X funds to clinics that provided abortions or referred people for abortions in 2019, causing one-third of participating providers to leave the program, according to KFF. The Biden administration reversed the policy two years later. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday in a case that will determine whether South Carolina government officials can remove Planned Parenthood clinics from the state's Medicaid program because the organization provides abortions. If the court rules in South Carolina's favor, other states that have tried to drain the organization's funding for decades may follow suit. Anti-abortion organizations celebrated the news of the Title X freeze for some Planned Parenthood clinics on Tuesday, including Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which has been pushing efforts to 'defund' Planned Parenthood in recent weeks in its fundraising emails. SBA was also involved in the drafting of the Heritage Foundation's blueprint for the next conservative presidency, Project 2025, and identified this action as a priority. 'This is a big step in the right direction,' President Marjorie Dannenfelser told States Newsroom in a statement. 'We thank President Trump for this bold action and urge further steps to eliminate all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.' Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@ This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Trump administration targets Planned Parenthood grants in Oklahoma
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
162 House Democrats Urge HHS to Restore Title X Funds
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building is seen on March 27, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Credit - Kayla Bartkowski—Getty Images More than 150 House Democrats signed a letter sent to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on April 3, calling for the department to undo the freeze on millions of dollars allocated for family planning services. The letter, shared exclusively with TIME, comes after HHS confirmed this week that it is withholding Title X funds from 16 organizations 'pending an evaluation of possible violations' of federal civil rights laws and President Donald Trump's Executive Order declaring that undocumented immigrants are barred 'from obtaining most taxpayer-funded benefits.' Title X is the nation's only federally funded program dedicated solely to family planning, and each year allocates millions of dollars for clinics that provide birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, and other health care services for people from low-income households. HHS did not respond to TIME's questions earlier this week about the details of the 'possible violations,' how much money was being withheld from the affected organizations, and which organizations were being hit by the funding freeze. It also did not respond to a further request for comment today, April 3. More than $200 million is allocated for Title X annually. On March 25, the Wall Street Journal reported that HHS was considering freezing $27.5 million of those Title X funds. One of the largest Title X providers, Planned Parenthood, said on March 31 that nine of its affiliates were informed by the federal government that their Title X funding was being withheld as of April 1. Read More: Trump Administration Freezes Critical Title X Funding for 16 Organizations The letter sent to Kennedy on April 3 was an effort led by seven House Democrats: Rep. Judy Chu, California; Rep. Diana DeGette, Colorado; Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts; Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, New Mexico; Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, Texas; Rep. Sharice Davids, Kansas; and Rep. Nikema Williams, Georgia. The 162 House Democrats who signed it said in the letter that Title X has been 'a cornerstone of safety-net care' for decades. 'Championed by then-Congressman George H.W. Bush and signed into law by President Nixon, Title X allows a diverse network of providers to deliver high-quality care to low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals confidentially,' the letter said. 'These centers offer care to populations that often face severe structural and systemic barriers to accessing quality health care, including individuals with no or insufficient insurance and rural and underserved communities. Freezing funds for this essential program will harm communities that otherwise may not have access to care.' According to the letter, Title X-funded clinics provided services to 2.8 million people in 2023. In 2016, 60% of the women who received birth control from a clinic participating in the Title X program revealed that that was their only source of health care the year before, according to the letter. The letter also cited a report from the Guttmacher Institute, which researches and supports sexual and reproductive health and rights, that found that every dollar spent on Title X services saves $7 in Medicaid-related expenses. Reproductive rights experts have called the freeze 'absolutely devastating,' saying that Title X allows many people to access critical health care services they may not otherwise be able to afford. Experts at the Guttmacher Institute estimated that between 600,000 and 1.25 million people could be affected by the freeze annually. In the letter, the signatories also said they were 'outraged that reports suggest that this funding is being frozen because of claims that it might support 'diversity, equity, and inclusion.'' Essential Access Health, which distributes Title X funds to health care centers in California and Hawaii, said in a press release on April 1 that it was informed that its Title X funds were being temporarily withheld pending 'an inquiry regarding compliance with federal policy and practices related to civil rights and Executive Orders focused on DEI activities.' Trump signed an Executive Order on his first day in office that was aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives. 'This is another way of saying that this program is used to help people of color access care,' the letter said. 'Nearly half of the people served each year by Title X are people of color, the vast majority are people with low-incomes and most Title X users are women. A federal program's ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal. To suggest otherwise implies that HHS would determine who is worthy of taxpayer dollars based on the color of their skin.' House Democrats who signed the letter urged Kennedy to restore all the Title X funding to the affected organizations, requesting a 'prompt reply to coordinate a meeting on this matter' and offering to introduce Kennedy to providers, community leaders, and patients who can speak to the importance of the federal program. 'We hope your agency will not be so reckless as to upend nearly half a century of bipartisan achievement and place Title X on the [Department of Government Efficiency] chopping block without hearing firsthand the consequences of that action,' the letter said. Contact us at letters@
