Supervisor Wiener’s Resolution Supporting Planned Parenthood Funding Passed by Board of Supervisors
Resolution supports a rule proposed by the Obama Administration that will prevent politically motivated cuts to Title X funding by local and state governments, in response to Republicans efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
San Francisco — Yesterday the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution authored by Supervisor Scott Wiener in support of permanently protecting Planned Parenthood funding. The resolution urges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to adopt a proposed rule that bars local and state jurisdictions from withholding Title X Family Planning grants for reasons unrelated to the ability to deliver public health and women’s services. This rule was proposed by DHHS in response to repeated efforts by Republicans to defund support for Planned Parenthood for political reasons.
“Every person deserves access to quality healthcare, and we should not be playing politics with critical health care funding,” said Supervisor Wiener. “Planned Parenthood serves so many in our community, particularly low-income clients who would have nowhere else to turn without these services. San Francisco is proud to stand in strong support for the continued strength of Planned Parenthood.”
Planned Parenthood uses the $70 million it receives every year to subsidize cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infection screenings, and contraceptives for people who cannot afford them. The rule proposed by the Obama Administration will prevent states from withholding Title X federal grants from recipients for any reason other than the provider’s “ability to deliver services to program beneficiaries in an effective manner.” At least 14 states have taken recent action — based purely on political opposition to Planned Parenthood — to cut Title X funds to the organization.
The proposed rule (Rule 938-AA04) by the Department of Health and Human Services is in the 30 day comment window. Supervisor Wiener’s resolution will be submitted to DHHS as an official comment by the City and County of San Francisco in support of the rule. After the 30 day comment window closes, DHHS can adopt the rule.
Planned Parenthood Northern California is the fifth largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country, serving 155,000 clients every year, including 11,000 annually in San Francisco. Planned Parenthood offers safer sex supplies, birth control, cancer screenings, STD testing, treatment, and counseling, as well as PrEP medications to prevent HIV infection, and hormones for gender transition. When the AIDS crisis emerged in the 1980s, Planned Parenthood Northern California was the first affiliate to offer HIV testing and continues to offer fourth-generation HIV tests today. More than 79% of Planned Parenthood Northern California’s clients in San Francisco live on incomes at or below the Federal Poverty level.
CONTACT: Jeff Cretan, jeff.cretan@sfgov.org, (415) 554–7753
