By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS (Source: Stateline News — Reporting by Kelcie Moseley-Morris)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has canceled most of its federally funded Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants, ending support for dozens of organizations across the country two years before the grants were scheduled to expire.
An HHS spokesperson confirmed that 53 of the program’s 67 grants, totaling about $68 million, have been terminated. The grants supported universities, community organizations, state and local health departments, and other nonprofits that provide evidence-based education and services aimed at reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
According to HHS, the canceled grants no longer align with the agency’s current priorities. Termination notices sent to grantees stated that some programs ‘normalize or promote sexual activity for minors.’
Among the affected organizations is Access Matters in Philadelphia, which lost a $1.2 million grant that funded health education and referral services for more than 1,100 teens ages 13 to 19.
“This is devastating for the youth that we serve,” said Ayana Bradshaw, the organization’s president and CEO.
The decision mirrors similar actions taken during President Donald Trump’s first administration in 2017, when courts ultimately blocked the early termination of comparable grants.
Despite the cancellations, HHS announced two new competitive grant opportunities totaling more than $71 million to support teen pregnancy prevention programs that align with the administration’s revised priorities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. teen birth rate has declined by about 72% since 2007. Public health experts attribute the decrease to delayed sexual activity, expanded sex education and improved access to contraception.
Legal experts and advocacy organizations expect the latest grant cancellations to face court challenges.