Alachua County, Florida, officials have found a way to circumvent a looming state law that will defund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood, the Gainesville Sun reports (Warren, Gainesville Sun, 6/18).
Background
Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed the defunding measure into law in March. It is scheduled to take effect July 1.
Among other provisions, the law prohibits local health departments from allocating public funds to organizations affiliated with abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for family planning services and other reproductive care for low-income residents. A ban on allocating public funds for abortion care is already in place (Women's Health Policy Report, 6/6).
The new law includes an exception for abortion care provided in cases of rape, incest or life endangerment.
In Alachua County, the local Planned Parenthood clinic is currently funded via the Community Agency Partnership Program (CAPP), which distributes funds to groups that help low-income residents. Under the program, the clinic received about $31,000 for 2016.
In 2015, the clinic provided abortion care, contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), cancer screenings, pregnancy tests and other reproductive health care to about 2,250 women and teenagers in the area. According to the Sun, the clinic offers no-cost contraception and sexuality education to teenagers.
County finds way to fund Planned Parenthood clinic
Last week, Alachua County ended the CAPP agreement with Planned Parenthood and instead will fund the clinic through a new source, the Sun reports. Specifically, the county will give the clinic $31,517 annually through an unspecified general-fund source that does not use public money.
The agreement starts June 30 and could last through 2036. Under the agreement, the clinic will provide reproductive health care, STI testing, cancer screenings, contraceptive services and sexuality education. The agreement requires that the clinic provide at least 200 "units of service" every month. Claudia Tuck, director of community support services, said one unit could mean a cancer screening or an hour of counseling.
The agreement reads, "Ultimately the goal is to prov[ide] medical services and education to teens in a way that promotes healthier lives, identified choices and offers an escape from poverty."
If the state defunding measure were to change, the county could end the agreement, according to County Attorney Michele Lieberman.
Comments
Commenting on the state defunding measure, County Commissioner Mike Byerly said, "I think it's important that the county take a stand against what is happening with the state." He added, "I think what the governor ha[s] done is overreach -- it's intruding way too far into local government discretion, it's ideologically driven. We all understand what's happening and I think we ought to stand up to it on principle and oppose it."
Separately, citing an increase in local syphilis cases, County Commissioner Robert Hutchinson said, "It's important we fund more services like Planned Parenthood, not less" (Gainesville Sun, 6/18).
