In a statement released Friday, Aug. 14, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert stated that he is cutting off Planned Parenthood funding in the state of Utah. Grants provided by the federal government to Planned Parenthood are distributed through the Utah Department of Health and into a number of programs. Utah law bars organizations from using state funds for abortions, and according to Herbert’s statement, those prohibitions extend to Planned Parenthood’s federal grant.
“The allegations against Planned Parenthood are deeply troubling,” the email from the Governor’s Office stated. “In light of ongoing concerns about the organization, I have instructed state agencies to cease acting as an intermediary for pass-through federal funds to Planned Parenthood.”
The statement also noted: “Other state and local agencies and nonprofits will continue to provide STD education and prevention programs.”
Planned Parenthood funding in Utah:
Numerous Planned Parenthood programs receive funding through the state and stand to be affected by the governor’s decision. For 2015, those included over $115,000 for education programs teaching abstinence and personal responsibility, up to $75,000 for the Targeted for STD testing, $30,000 for the STD Surveillance network, and $1,339 in crime victims reparation payments. The combined cost of all the programs was budgeted at $222,052.00 for 2015.
“Well, what a shame,” said Planned Parenthood Association of Utah CEO Karrie Galloway in a Deseret News article. “He’s doing this through news reports — this is how we run our state? I’m sorry, governor, I lose faith in people who do that.”
According to the Planned Parenthood website, only one of the Planned Parenthood clinics in Utah offers abortion services. The other eight offices offer abortion referral services, as well as up to nine other services listed as being available, including birth control, general health care, HIV testing, men’s health care, Morning-After pill (emergency contraception), pregnancy testing and services, STD testing, treatment and vaccines, and women’s Health Care services.
It was unclear at the time of publishing if those programs would be directly affected by the Planned Parenthood funding cuts, as no one was available for comment.
For more coverage on the Planned Parenthood funding story stay tuned to SUindependent.com. Planned Parenthood’s website is: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/UT/#sthash.Zho80vWQ.dpuf.
