Family Planning Funds Get a Decade-Long Boost: Clinics Must Offer Neutral Counseling on All Pregnancy Options

This bill, simply titled the 'Expanding Access to Family Planning Act,' is setting up a serious, long-term funding stream for Title X family planning clinics. If passed, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would manage a new pot of money called the Title X Clinic Fund, dedicating $512 million annually for ten years—from fiscal year 2026 through 2035—specifically for grants and contracts related to family planning services. That’s a decade of predictable, significant funding aimed at keeping these clinics running and expanding access to care. Beyond the service dollars, there’s an extra $50 million set aside each year just for building new clinics or renovating the ones we already have. For clinics that have struggled with year-to-year funding uncertainty, this level of commitment is a game-changer for stability and long-term planning.

The Decade-Long Financial Lifeline

Think of this as a major infrastructure investment for preventive health. The $50 million per year for physical improvements means that clinics operating out of cramped, outdated spaces could finally get the overhaul they need. For a young professional in a growing urban area, this could mean a new, modern clinic opens up nearby, reducing wait times for essential services like contraception, cancer screenings, and STI testing. For rural communities, it could mean the difference between a clinic closing down and a new facility being built that can handle more patients. The bill also makes the funding non-expiring once appropriated, which is policy-speak for 'use it when you need it,' giving grantees much-needed flexibility.

The 'Neutrality Clause' for Counseling

If clinics want to tap into this new money, they have to play by some very specific rules, especially around pregnancy counseling. The bill mandates that any clinic receiving these funds must provide completely neutral, non-directive counseling on all pregnancy options. If a patient tests positive and asks about any option—say, prenatal care—the clinic must also be prepared to offer neutral, factual information and counseling on the other two paths: adoption/foster care and pregnancy termination. They only have to give information on the options the patient expresses interest in, but the key is that if they offer counseling on one path, they must be ready to offer it on all three if the patient asks. This is a big regulatory shift, ensuring that patients get comprehensive, unbiased information across the board, which could be a significant operational change for some providers.

Who Gets the Sub-Contract?

The bill also tightens up the rules on how funding recipients can pass money along to other organizations (subawards). Essentially, if a main grantee gets the Title X money and wants to hire a partner organization to help deliver services, they cannot block that partner from participating unless the partner simply can’t deliver the required Title X services. They can’t exclude a qualified entity for other reasons. This provision is designed to maximize the number of providers delivering care, making it harder for larger organizations to exclude smaller or specialized local groups from the network, which should help expand the reach of these services into different communities.