$500,000 in federal money going to Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the largest provider of low-cost reproductive health care in the state’s Family Planning Program, will get $500,000 in federal money to help replace state funding denied by the Executive Council.

The federal delegation, which requested the money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in December, announced the award Friday. 

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is one of just eight providers in the country to receive a “dire need” grant, the delegation said. 

“This … funding will help mitigate the damage of the … Executive Council’s recent dismantling of the New Hampshire Family Planning Program,” said Kayla Montgomery, vice president for public affairs at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, in a statement. “Nearly 10,000 Granite Staters rely on PPNNE for high-quality, affordable health care and this funding will help ensure they can continue to get the care they need from their trusted providers at PPNNE. 

The money, like the state funding blocked by Republicans on the Executive Council three times since September, cannot be used for abortions. Instead, it covers cancer screenings, birth control, and STD testing and treatment. 

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and the two other defunded family planning providers – Equality Health Center and Lovering Health Center – may also see additional federal funding later this year. The Biden administration recently reversed the Trump administration’s restrictions on Title X family planning funding and will make $256 million available to Title X providers. 

In denying Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Equality Health Center, and Lovering Health Center funding, Republican executive councilors cited concerns about minors accessing contraception without parental knowledge and belief that public money was being used for abortions. 

Gov. Chris Sununu has asked councilors to reconsider, and the attorney general and Health and Human Services leaders have told them audits showed none were misusing taxpayer dollars.

In a statement announcing the award, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said, “It’s shameful we’re in a position where we need to counteract these dangerous and partisan actions by state Republicans, but I’ll continue working at the federal level to protect reproductive rights and support our frontline family planning providers.”