U.S. Suspends $27.5 Million in Family Planning Grants Amid Compliance Review

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has suspended $27.5 million in federal family planning grants due to a compliance review. This affects several Planned Parenthood affiliates and other organizations in seven states. 

The funding freeze impacts essential services like contraception, cancer screenings, and STI testing, especially for low-income communities.

The Associated Press reports that all Title X grant recipients in California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Utah were notified of the suspension on Monday. At least 11 regional affiliates of Planned Parenthood are included among the organizations impacted.

HHS has not made public which laws or executive orders are currently being examined, although some notices have mentioned civil rights violations. The agency announced that the pause is a measure to assess grant recipients' compliance with federal law and ensure the responsible use of taxpayer funds.

Planned Parenthood, often under scrutiny from conservative lawmakers, issued a strong condemnation of the decision. “We understand the consequences when health care providers are unable to access Title X funding,” stated Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “Individuals nationwide endure—cancers remain undiagnosed, availability of birth control diminishes, and the country’s STI epidemic escalates.”

Mississippi, one of the impacted states, currently enforces a near-total abortion ban, and critics contend that the funding freeze will further limit access to vital reproductive care.

George Hill, president of Maine Family Planning, indicated that his organization might consider legal action. “The administration’s troubling choice to withhold Title X funds threatens access to essential health care services for thousands,” he stated.

Amid extensive layoffs at HHS, officials highlighted that no definitive decisions have been reached concerning long-term funding for Planned Parenthood or other grant recipients.