Rebuilding the Title X Family Planning Network Will Take Time, Despite Biden Administration Actions Issuing New Regulations and Additional Funding

A new KFF analysis highlights state-level data on the status of the Title X family planning program on the eve of the implementation of the new Biden Administration regulations for the program.

To date, five states still have no Title X clinics, and seven states are still operating with less than 25% of their clinic network. Overall, 39 states experienced a drop in the number of participating clinics since 2018. The Trump Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services had issued regulations that essentially disqualified family planning clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, that also provided abortion services from participating in the program and prohibited clinics from offering referrals to abortion providers. These regulations resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of sites participating and in the number of people served by the program.

The new Biden Administration regulations also include new provisions in addition to restoring many aspects of the program that existed prior to the Trump Administration rule. New provisions also include telehealth as an option for providing medical services, a service option widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a focus on advancing health equity.

The final rule will be effective November 8, 2021, with funding for grantees anticipated in Spring 2022. The analysis provides additional information on the new regulations and state by state changes in Title X clients and clinics between 2018-2020.