Maine mentioned in lawsuit against DHHS over frozen family planning funds

The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services following the agency’s decision to withhold $65.8 million in Title X funds, affecting 22 states.

This follows the pause in funding by the Trump administration to 16 organizations, including Planned Parenthood, back in early April .

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The lawsuit cites Maine as one of at least seven states currently devoid of any federal funding for family planning services.

The sole federally funded initiative in the U.S., known as Title X, provides services related to birth control, cancer screening, and testing and treating sexually transmitted diseases, primarily aimed at those without insurance or with low income.

The lawsuit, submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on April 24, indicates that the funding suspension affects 865 health centers (which make up 22% of all Title X service locations). This could result in approximately 842,00 individuals losing their access to essential services.

Over 31,000 residents of Maine depend on Title X health centers for accessing family planning services and essential preventative care.

"The Trump administration is bypassing their established protocols exclusively to cater to radicals pushing for a total ban on abortions. In doing so, they're ready to limit access to contraception, cancer screenings, and various other services. Their efforts include attempts to close down Planned Parenhood health clinics and other family planning service providers in Maine, which some argue constitutes illegal activity. The Title X initiative ensures essential healthcare remains accessible, with numerous residents in Maine depending on this federal program for contraceptive methods, cancer screening, and sexually transmitted infection diagnosis and treatment. We commend the stands taken by NFPRHA and the ACLU as they uphold legal standards," stated Lisa Margulies, vice president of public affairs at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association is pursuing injunctive measures and requesting that the funding be reinstated.

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