Health clinics that offer birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, and other basic care are closing their doors after the Trump administration froze tens of millions of dollars meant for low-income patients.
On April 1, more than $65 million in Title X funding was suddenly put on hold. The Trump administration said the freeze was to enforce executive orders on diversity and immigration. Clinics were told they had 10 days to prove they weren’t breaking hiring or care discrimination rules — but even those that submitted paperwork on time say they haven’t heard anything back.
“It’s been radio silence,” said Sarah Stoesz, interim CEO of Planned Parenthood in Utah. “For some inexplicable reason, they are taking a meat axe to the healthcare system in America.”
So far, seven states — Utah, California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana — have lost all of their Title X funding, according to a report from Politico. Advocates say nearly 850,000 patients could lose access to care if the funding isn’t restored.
The Trump administration has not responded to questions or requests for updates.
Clinics across the country are scrambling. Some are trying to take legal action. Others are begging state lawmakers and private donors to help. And some — already out of emergency money — are shutting down.
In Utah, two Planned Parenthood clinics will close by the end of the month, after losing $2.8 million in federal funding. One clinic served patients near the Idaho border, the other closer to Arizona. Together, they treated about 4,500 people last year.
Now, some patients will have to drive over 100 miles just to get in-person care.
The group is also cutting staff and raising fees at its remaining clinics. “The impact is going to be particularly brutal in red states that don’t have a local government that is ready to step up and help support family planning services,” said Shireen Ghorbani, interim president of Planned Parenthood Utah.
“Our county health departments and regional health departments do not always have the capacity, and, in fact, often refer patients to Planned Parenthood for STI testing. So we anticipate that people will defer care or just not receive the care that they need.”
In Maine, $2 million in funding was frozen for Maine Family Planning, which supports 60 clinics across the state. That’s 20% of its entire yearly budget. CEO George Hill says the freeze is tied to so-called “DEIA-related concerns,” referring to diversity and inclusion policies.
“If the funds dry out and we’re unable to replace them, clinics will close. Access will be denied,” Hill said. “And a lot of people are simply not going to get contraception if they have to get in the car and drive two hours away. It’s gonna be painful, and I resent it deeply.”
In Texas, the group Every Body Texas, which supports more than 150 clinics, was awarded just $7 million — less than half of the $15.4 million it got last year.
“It’s a major blow,” said CEO Kristie Bardell. She warned that over 180,000 people could lose access to care.
Texas already has the highest uninsured rate in the country. Bardell says demand for affordable care is soaring, but clinics can’t keep up without federal help.
“When reproductive health care disappears, cancer goes undetected, rates of unintended pregnancy and STIs rise, and the health gap grows wider,” she said. “We’re risking decades of public health progress — and people’s lives.”
Even if the money is released soon, it might only be a short-term fix. A leaked draft budget obtained by Politico shows the Trump administration is considering eliminating the Title X program entirely — along with other reproductive health initiatives like the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program.
For now, clinics are running out of options — and time. Without urgent help, more closures are coming. And millions could be left with nowhere to go for basic care.
