Family Planning Program Speak Out

ByEmily Bishop

Tell your Representative to support additional funding for the Family Planning Program as they consider the budget this week with this Speak Out.

Bipartisan support for family planning has made Colorado a leader in reproductive health. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)’s Family Planning Program provides comprehensive reproductive care to Coloradans at 80 clinics across the state, prioritizing people in low-income households and those who are uninsured. The program has been credited with reducing unintended teen pregnancy and teen abortion rates by 50% in the state. The Colorado Academy of Family Physicians is an ardent, longtime supporter of this program, which has a proven track record of success.

In 2021, the Family Planning Program served 41,914 people. Supporting Coloradans to determine when and how to grow their families allows both children and parents to thrive: Research has demonstrated that access to family planning services is correlated to better educational and employment attainment and reduces economic insecurity.

Over the last year, and in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade (Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health), communities across the country are experiencing a significant decrease in access to reproductive health care, including family planning services. Colorado has stepped up to provide timely care for all who need it. Though the Department requested additional federal funding for the program, the federal funding source for the state’s Family Planning Program has been stagnant for nearly a decade, and the program does not have the funds to fully meet demand for its services.

A $1 million budget increase for CDPHE’s Family Planning Program would:

  • Support the health and well-being of parents and their children.
  • Empower women and people who can become pregnant to attain their educational and career goals, helping create financially secure and strong families.
  • Allow the program to serve people across the state while keeping waitlists short, with a focus on rural areas.
  • Support family planning services for 2,500 additional Coloradans and save the state money in the long run.

Now is the time to take action! Contact Colorado legislators and tell them to vote YES on this addition to the budget!