The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (@HHSGov) awarded $16.3 million in grant funding to support 31 grantees to enhance and expand the telehealth infrastructure and capacity of Title X family planning clinics in 26 states, one U.S. territory, and one freely associated state. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services in communities across the U.S.
HHS used funds made available through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to award these grants to current Title X family planning grantees for a 12-month project period starting on May 15, 2022. This increased funding is another step in the Biden-Harris’ Administration’s move towards restoring the nation’s family planning safety-net and helping ensure access to quality preventive care for women and families.
“Expanding telehealth at our nation’s Title X family planning clinics will help ensure all women and families have equitable access to this essential care,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.“ Across the nation we are seeing attacks on sexual and reproductive health care services, and through these funds and other HHS efforts we can ensure that we’re able to provide this care that so many across the country need.”
Over the last two years, telehealth adoption in the U.S. has increased dramatically, and Title X family planning clinics have consistently supported the use of telehealth services as an option for their patients. These additional resources will help Title X family planning clinics expand their capacity to provide telehealth services and increase their community’s access to family planning services.
“As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, family planning clinics had already augmented the use of telehealth,” said Adm. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health. “These awards will help programs accelerate telehealth even more across the communities receiving awards.”
“This opportunity to sustain investments in telehealth for the Title X program helps open the door to high-quality family planning services for even more clients,” said Jessica Swafford Marcella, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.
For more than 50 years, Title X family planning clinics have played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of family planning and preventive health services for more than 190 million low-income or uninsured individuals, including breast and cervical cancer screening, contraceptive counseling and care, and STI/HIV testing. Title X services are delivered through a diverse network of clinics, including state and local health departments, federally qualified health centers, hospital-based sites, and other private nonprofit and community-based health centers.
View more information about the Title X family planning program. See breakdown and recipients here.