KPG to Congress: Increase Funding for Affordable Birth Control and Teen Pregnancy Prevention

August 8, 2023

The board of directors of Kirkpatrick Policy Group, a nonpartisan, Oklahoma City-based nonprofit, write to urge your support for increased funding for the Title X Family Planning Program and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, as Congress works on FY 2024 spending bills. As you know, the House Appropriations LHHS Subcommittee recently advanced a proposal that would eliminate this funding, which serves communities in Oklahoma and around the nation.

With funding from TPP grants, the Central Oklahoma Teen Pregnancy Prevention Collaboration, an Oklahoma County-wide network of services and nonprofits, helped the teen birth rate in Oklahoma County drop by fifty-three percent between 2010 – 2020, but it is still higher than the national average. Tulsa County’s teen birth rate fell fifty-eight percent from 2009 to 2020 but it too remains above the national average. In 2019, Oklahoma had the nation’s fourth highest teen birth rate.

Providing $150 million in funding for the TPP Program will ensure that this results-oriented approach with bipartisan support and the recognition of wide-ranging experts can continue. A new round of five-year grants – awarded in June – is contingent on FY 2024 funding. Without it, the work underway in twenty-nine states and Puerto Rico to replicate and scale proven programs shown to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes for adolescents by reducing behavioral risk factors and promoting positive youth development will not be able to continue.

Providing at least $512 million for Title X will help match nationwide need for publicly funded family planning. It’s estimated that twice the current funding ($286.5 million) is necessary to meet demand. Flat budgeting for nearly a decade has forced providers to reduce services. With increased funding, Title X-funded clinics can continue to offer high-quality contraceptive services, preventive screenings, and health education to one million at-risk clients. We understand that Oklahoma’s Title X grant was suspended in May. Hopefully a resolution can be found to continue the program here.

Please support increased investments for the TPP Program ($150 million) and Title X (at least $512 million) in FY 2024 funding bills – and reject the House Appropriations LHHS Subcommittee’s proposal to eliminate funding for these programs. Continued investments in these programs can positively impact individuals, communities, and our country. Thank you for your time and consideration.

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Sincerely,

Kirkpatrick Policy Group