Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida says it would have to close its Immokalee clinic, and possibly pull back on other services, if a change passed by Congress and signed into law last week by President Donald Trump were to strip them of Title X family planning funding.
Title X funding from the federal Department of Health and Human Services was established in the 1970s as a subsidy for organizations offering STI/STD testing, cancer screenings, and other reproductive health services for un-insured or low-income people. Planned Parenthood says the Title X funds pay for other services like prenatal care, pregnancy tests, cancer screenings, family planning, and contraception.
The repeal would effectively block Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from funds associated with the Title X program, even though those funds don't pay for abortions. Currently the Hyde Amendment of 1976 prohibits federal dollars from going toward abortion, unless the pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, or required to save the life of the woman. Nonetheless, stripping Title X funding has been the focus of conservative Republicans in Congress for years.
Monday at 1 p.m. on Gulf Coast Live, Anna Eskamani, Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, joins the program to discuss what the potential impact would be from the loss of Title X funds in Southwest Florida. Also joining the program today is Denise Henning, Administrator of Women's Services at the Healthcare Network SWFL in Immokalee.
