HHS Releases Withheld Title X Awards for California and Hawai‘i Amidst Unprecedented Federal Attacks on Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Access
Los Angeles, CA – Today, Essential Access Health received notification from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that our withheld Title X federal family planning program awards for California and Hawai‘i have been released. This news comes against the backdrop of the Senate passing a reconciliation package that would decimate sexual and reproductive health care access nationally, and critical state leadership to protect family planning and abortion care in the California and Hawai‘i state budgets.
Essential Access Health Co-CEOs Dr. Nomsa Khalfani and Amy Moy issued the following statement in response:
“The decision to release Title X federal awards for some grantees is a necessary and overdue step, but it does not erase the harm caused by the reckless, illegal, and unprecedented move to withhold Title X funds in the first place.
We are greatly relieved that we will be able to get these critical resources out to the field, but know this is likely a temporary reprieve. The funding release has come against a backdrop of unprecedented federal attacks on sexual and reproductive health care access and providers, and the future of Title X and access to contraception – particularly for people with lower incomes – remains at risk nationwide.
That’s why we are immensely grateful to our state leaders in California and Hawai‘i who have stepped up with state investments to make resources available to support the ongoing delivery of essential family planning services, and safeguard an important funding stream for the sexual and reproductive health care safety net that continues to face a myriad of challenges in this volatile federal landscape.
Essential Access Health will continue to work with our elected leaders and partners to do everything in our power to protect our extensive networks of family planning providers and the patients they serve now and for years to come.”
Though some Title X grantees that had their funding withheld have been notified their funds will be released, HHS continues to withhold the Title X awards for many organizations.
Earlier this week, state budgets in California and Hawai‘i were signed into law that include significant and critical state investments to support the delivery of equitable, affordable, high quality and patient-centered family planning services. Essential Access Health supports a network of nearly 350 health centers that served more than half a million patients in California in 2024, and a network of 30 health centers in Hawai`i serving vulnerable populations on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. Our robust and diverse Title X provider networks include federally qualified health centers, city and county health departments, Planned Parenthood affiliates, stand-alone women’s health and family planning health centers, Urban Indian Health Centers, Native Hawaiian Health Centers, and university and school-based health centers.