Freezing of Title X Funds Will Deny Millions Access to Family Planning Services

On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it will withhold millions of dollars in funds earmarked for Title X—a decades-long program that funds critical reproductive health services in low-income communities.

In announcing the funding freeze, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it would review possible violations of Federal Law and executive orders, including prohibitions on the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”). 

Title X funding has historically sustained an estimated 4,000 clinics, and in 2023 it supplied 2.8 million people with essential care including birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing.

For Americans reliant on Title X clinics, the funding freeze means a sudden and devastating loss of vital health services. “Individuals struggling to make ends meet will now lose access to affordable birth control and cancer screenings because President Trump is pushing an extreme anti-DEI agenda wholly unrelated to sound healthcare policy,” said Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, in a statement.

What is Title X?

• Title X has is the country’s only dedicated family planning safety net program, offering vital family planning and preventative care for low-income and marginalized communities. Title X clinics are the sole source of healthcare for many of their clients. 
• The program supports a range of services including pregnancy testing, infertility services, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STI), breast and cervical cancer screenings, HPV vaccinations, and the provision of birth control and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). It can also provide support for mental health, intimate partner violence, and related health concerns. 
• Since it was enacted in 1970, under the Nixon administration, Title X has helped nearly 195 million Americans access essential health services. Its crucial function has been acknowledged by 55 years of bipartisan support.

Center Demands Details on the Administration’s Action  

Hours after the Administration’s announcement, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to demand information—including key documents, communications, and records—on the administration’s motivations and strategies for attacking such a critical program. 

“The Title X funding freeze takes aim at clinics with decades-long track records under Republican and Democratic administrations,” said Northup. “Today, we are demanding answers from this administration about why these clinics are being unfairly targeted.” 

About the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):

• Passed in 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives the public the right to request access to any federal agency’s records.  
• FOIA requests are used to obtain information regarding government activities that may otherwise remain covert—including inefficiencies and improprieties. 
• Under the FOIA, agencies must release all requested records unless they fall within certain exemptions, such as information relating to national security, law enforcement, or personal privacy.