KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi announced Tuesday that it would welcome Title X patients back into clinics after Tennessee lost Title X funding.
Title X is a federal program that is meant to give states a set amount of money to provide free and reduced-cost sexual and reproductive health care that includes wellness exams, birth control, gender-affirming care, HIV testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
Through the program, patients can go to Planned Parenthood to find low-cost or free services for a variety of issues, depending on whether they qualify for help. The funds can also help Planned Parenthood offer new vasectomy services in Memphis and Nashville, as well as operate an app providing telehealth services with the option to deliver medications. It was designed to reach rural communities.
Background on Title X in Tennessee
Title X programs must follow certain standards such as being "client-centered, culturally and linguistically appropriate, inclusive, and trauma-informed," according to the program's website. The Department of Health and Human Services previously said the state refused to comply with the program's requirements.
In September 2023, Ashley Coeffield, the President of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, said that until March 31 the Tennessee Department of Health was the only Title X grantee in the state.
She said the department was found to be out of compliance with the program's regulations because it refused to certify that public health clinics they funded would provide counseling to pregnant people about their options, including counseling about their abortion treatment options.
"The state lost the funding because they were not willing to meet patients where they are — particularly pregnant patients who were seeking abortion care," said Coffield. "And we are a safe place for any patient, we don't impose our values on our patients. We don't coerce our patients into any particular form of care. We follow their lead and give them the information and resources they need."
Soon after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Tennessee lawmakers activated a "trigger law," which effectively banned providers from giving abortion treatments. Because TDH's policies on abortion did not comply with Title X's requirements, an HHS spokesperson said the department would no longer give Title X awards to the state.
In April 2023, the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration proposed using $19 million in state funds on programs that would have been covered by Title X — mostly on the state's HIV surveillance and prevention programs. Other funds would go to community partners and metro health departments.
Months later, the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood and Converge announced they got approximately the same amount of Title X funds from HHS as Tennessee previously received, and they would route those additional funds back into Tennessee Planned Parenthood clinics.
VLPP provided $3.9 million while Converge, an organization in Mississippi, provided another $3.9 million through a similar initiative. That way, Planned Parenthood could continue offering its suite of health services at a low cost for patients with the help of federal funds — even as Tennessee stays out of Title X compliance.
In October 2023, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed a complaint in Knoxville seeing to overturn the HHS decision to allow money to be routed back into Tennessee.
The Future of Planned Parenthood Title X Funds
Money for each Planned Parenthood clinic will be decided by patient demand and the number of patients who show up needing free or reduced-cost care.
"Right now, we're monitoring that. We're seeing patients qualifying for free services more likely to qualify for completely free services in Memphis than we're seeing in Nashville," Coffield said. "But we expect that to change as the word gets out that the services are available."
Any patient over 13 years old seeking birth control, STI testing and treatment, and cervical cancer screenings can qualify as a Title X patient. They mostly include patients who lack health insurance.
"These are self-pay patients who have no other way to pay for services," said Coffield.
She also said they do not ask for proof of income or proof of family size to tell if someone is a Title X patient.
"It's a verbal question, we put them on the Sliding Fee Scale. And it significantly can reduce their cost down all the way down to free. And so anyone over the age of 13 is eligible for those services," she said.
Anyone interested in scheduling an appointment can book one online, or by calling Planned Parenthood at 866-711-1717. It also plans to reopen its Knoxville clinic building in summer 2024 after it was burned down on New Year's Eve 2021.