The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the availability of up to $256 million in grant funding to support equitable, affordable, client-centered, and high-quality family planning services through the Title X family planning program. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services in communities across the United States.

“Today’s grant funding opportunity will help strengthen and restore our nation’s Title X program,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Our nation’s family planning clinics play a critical role in delivering health care, and today more than ever, we are making clear that access to quality family planning care includes accurate information and referrals—based on a patient’s needs and direction.”

Title X services are delivered through a diverse network of clinics including state and local health departments, federally qualified health centers, hospital-based sites, and other private nonprofit and community-based health centers—nationwide. Today’s announcement supplements the recent effort by HHS to restore and strengthen the Title X program through updated rulemaking, effective November 8. Both steps represent the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to family planning care nationwide.

This is the first national competition since the issuance earlier this month of the Biden-Harris Administration’s final rule, “Ensuring Access to Equitable, Affordable, Client-Centered, Quality Family Planning Services.” This 2021 Title X rule reinforces the program’s emphasis on quality, equity, and dignity for all individuals who seek Title X services. The new rule replaced the 2019 Title X rule, reversing the last administration’s changes to the program.

“The Title X services competition will expand access to quality, sexual and reproductive health care by restoring and reinvigorating the country’s network of highly qualified family planning services,” said Jessica Swafford Marcella, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.

For more than 50 years, Title X family planning clinics have played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of family planning and preventive health services for more than 190 million low-income or uninsured individuals, including breast and cervical cancer screening, contraceptive counseling and care, and STI/HIV testing. Title X services are delivered through a diverse network of clinics including state and local health departments, federally qualified health centers, hospital-based sites, and other private nonprofit and community-based health centers.

These grants will focus on supporting national efforts to achieve health equity by implementing and expanding access to affordable, client-centered, quality family planning services, with a priority on grants that provide services to low-income clients. HHS plans to use discretionary funding to award $256 million through approximately 90 grants.

More information about the Title X family planning program is available at https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/title-x-service-grants.