Golden State Today

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 24 states in support of reproductive healthcare provided by the Title X program, the sole federal program dedicated to family planning services. In an amicus brief filed today, the coalition supported the Biden Administration’s appeal of a Texas court ruling that placed limitations on the Title X program’s provision of services to minors in Texas. In the amicus brief, the coalition argues imposing restrictions on the program would make it harder for vulnerable young people to seek and receive necessary medical care and could ultimately harm their health and safety.

“The Title X program helps people of all ages get the healthcare and guidance they need to lead safer, healthier, and happier lives,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It reduces health disparities and breaks down barriers faced by underserved communities in accessing medical services. It arms young people with vital information to make better decisions about their lives and bodies. That’s why California stands with our partners in supporting the Biden Administration’s effort to defend Title X. A robust Title X program helps us all flourish — it needs to be uplifted, not restricted.”

 

The Biden Administration is appealing a December 2022 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Texas Matthew Kacsmaryk in Deanda v. Becerra. The ruling prohibited the provision of Title X services to minors in Texas without parental consent.

 

In today’s amicus brief, the coalition of attorneys general supported the Biden Administration’s appeal, arguing that confidentiality plays a critical role in protecting adolescents’ access to Title X services. Studies show that the program’s guarantee of confidentiality:

• Encourages sexually active adolescents to seek necessary medical care;
• Helps prevent teenage pregnancies and lower the transmission rates of sexually transmitted infections;
• Enhances the quality and effectiveness of the services provided; and
• Encourages family involvement in family planning.

The Title X program is an important source of funding for states to provide affordable birth control and other sexual and reproductive healthcare to their residents, especially those from underserved groups such as rural communities, communities of color, and low-income, uninsured, and underinsured families. In 2018 alone, the program supported about 3,825 safety-net family planning centers that collectively served 3.9 million women, men, and adolescents. California has the largest Title X program in the nation. In 2022, the program was projected to serve 500,000 patients.

 

The amicus brief was led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James. They were joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

 

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here. 

Original source can be found here.