Planned Parenthood decision to refuse Title X funds will not impact Georgia

Staci Fox, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Southeast, speaks during an anti-abortion rally outside of the Georgia State Capitol building following the signing of HB 481 in Atlanta, Tuesday, May 7, 2019.    (ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Staci Fox, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Southeast, speaks during an anti-abortion rally outside of the Georgia State Capitol building following the signing of HB 481 in Atlanta, Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

A decision by the national Planned Parenthood organization to end its participation in a federal grant program will have no effect on Georgia's facilities.

Planned Parenthood is pushing back against a rule change announced earlier this year by the Trump administration that bars taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from referring women to abortion providers.

In fiscal 2018, Planned Parenthood facilities nationwide received about $17.2 million, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But no money has been awarded to Planned Parenthood facilities in Georgia for at least the past four years.

Title X is a federally funded family-planning program that provides services, such as health screenings and contraceptives, to those who are low-income or uninsured.

Other state health providers, such as the Family Health Centers of Georgia, received about $5.7 million in fiscal 2018.

National Planned Parenthood officials announced the decision on Monday after losing a court challenge last month that would have kept the rule from going into effect. Family planning clinics had until Monday to inform the federal government how they would comply with the new rule.

Federal laws prohibit taxpayer money from being used to pay for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman.