The Teton County Family Planning Clinic has decided to drop out of a federal grant program.
Title X provides financial assistance to family planning clinics that serve low-income and uninsured people. Major reproductive health providers nationwide have announced they are withdrawing from Title X following controversial new regulations; they dictate how providers can talk about abortion services
Health Director for the Teton County Health Department, Jodie Pond, said the idea to drop the program had been on the county's mind for a while, and the decision is not solely based on opposition to the new regulations.
"Of our $38,000 we get [from the grant], we spend about $8,000 hiring somebody to help us with paperwork. It's also been very unstable for the last few years where it should have been a three year grant and we have to write a grant application every six months," she said.
She added the department felt the new regulations regarding how to communicate about abortion services would impede the services they could provide to patients.
"We made the decision along with our advisory council and with staff that it doesn't serve our patients well to not be able to provide complete medical care," Pond said.
Pond said the community is supportive and hopes the department can make up the money through fundraising. She adds they have committed to continuing all of their services.