FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 7, 2016
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, 202-293-3114 ext. 207

Senate Proposal Fails the Title X Network
Statement from Clare Coleman, President & CEO of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA)

WASHINGTON, DC – “Today, the US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee released a draft fiscal year (FY) 2017 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) funding bill that flat funds the Title X family planning program. 

“It is particularly troubling that even as the country faces a looming public health crisis resulting from the Zika virus, the Senate would fail to provide any additional resources to support the very provider network that is being called upon to address and control the risk to women who may be seeking pregnancy. Today’s proposal is wholly insufficient to help Title X-funded providers make the clinical and administrative arrangements to ramp up Zika preparedness and response efforts in communities across the country. 

“The Title X family planning program is one of the most effective, results-driven investments we can make in public health. In 2013, services provided by Title X-funded health centers helped women avert 1 million unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 501,000 unplanned births and 345,000 abortions. In 2014, the Title X network provided 988,000 Pap tests, 1.3 million breast exams, nearly 5 million STD tests, and 1 million confidential HIV tests.

“Instead of building on the program’s resounding success, the Senate is proposing the status quo. Unfortunately, this is the sixth year in a row that the Title X network has received no new service dollars to provide desperately needed family planning care, despite a growing demand for these services. NFPRHA calls on the Senate to reject this proposal.”

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NFPRHA is a membership organization representing providers and administrators committed to helping people get the family planning education and care they need to make the best choices for themselves and their loved ones. NFPRHA works to enhance the ability of thousands of nurse practitioners, doctors, and other health professionals to provide high-quality family planning care through training and advocacy. For more information, visit nationalfamilyplanning.org.