Arizona Public Health Association (AzPHA) Resolution: Continuing Support of Title X – the Nation’s Family Planning Program
Effective Date: October 3, 2018
Background and Summary
The Title X program is the nation’s only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing low-income, uninsured or underinsured individuals with comprehensive, medically accurate, reproductive healthcare and related preventive healthcare services. Title X healthcare services include contraception, cancer screening, and STD testing and treatment, annual health exams, counseling, education and more. Often times it is the only regular health care many women receive.
In Arizona a 40-year old private not for profit, the Arizona Family Health Partnership (AFHP), has been awarded the Title X grant since 1983 and continues to provide high quality, medically accurate, and non- judgmental care through a network of delegate agencies.
● In 2017, AFHP served more than 36,000 women, men and teens who received high quality family planning care and information including healthcare services, including contraception, STI testing, cancer screenings, and education, among other services;
● Additionally, Title X-funded family planning healthcare services prevented an estimated 6,070 unintended pregnancies;
● Saving the state $50 million in related healthcare expenses;
● Those 6,070 unintended pregnancies would have resulted in an estimated 2,860 unplanned births, 2,050 abortions, and 1,160 miscarriages, according to the Guttmacher Institute’s Health Benefits and Cost Savings Tool; and
● STD services prevented an estimated 570 cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea, which could have resulted in 60 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility.
AzPHA Resolution July 2018
Whereas, Family Planning is one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century1; and
Whereas, medically accurate information and comprehensive care is imperative for a strong, trusted provider patient relationship; and
1 CDC: Ten Great Public Health Achievements — United States, 1900-1999
Whereas, Title X has contributed to a 30-year low in unintended pregnancies, a historic low in teen pregnancies and an absolute reduction in abortions by providing access to reproductive health care; and
Whereas, a full range of FDA approved birth control methods should be available to all women and men; and
Whereas, non-directive pregnancy options counseling and referral is essential for informed consent and is the standard of care endorsed by American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Physician Assistants2; and
Whereas, comprehensive, confidential and medically accurate information is the national standard of care; and
Whereas, high-quality medical care relies on honest, unfiltered conversations between patients and their physicians3; and
Whereas, Policy decisions about women’s health must be firmly rooted in science, and increase access to safe, effective and timely care4; and
Whereas abstinence-only-until-marriage message – especially (but not only) directed at adolescents is a marked shift from evidenced-informed and patient-centered approach5; and
Whereas STD cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are on the rise in Arizona; and Whereas, federal law specifically prohibits Title X dollars from being used for abortions; and
Whereas, eight in 10 (80%) of the public say federal funding for family planning and other reproductive health services to low-income women is “very important” or “somewhat important” to them6; and
Therefore, be it resolved that the Arizona Public Health Association supports the Title X program and rules as they are currently enacted, will advocate for the continuation of the Title X program as it is currently enacted and will educate its members and the public regarding the importance and comprehensive nature of the Title X services provided for the health of Arizonans.
2 Guttmacher: Unbiased Information on and Referral for All Pregnancy Options Are Essential to Informed Consent in Reproductive Health Care
3 AMA Objects to attack on family planning services
4 ACOG: America’s Women’s Health Providers Oppose Efforts to Exclude Qualified Providers from Federally-Funded Programs
5 Guttmacher: The Trump Administration’s Irresponsible Use of Research in Pushing Its Abstinence-Only Agenda into Title X
6 Kaiser Family Foundation Poll: Two-thirds of Americans Don’t Want the Supreme Court to Overturn Roe
169~2018_(1) AzPHA Title X Resolution(reproduceive health, education)