Title X Changes Published in Final Rule, Also Challenged
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a final rule in the Federal Register on March 4 to make substantive changes to the Title X Family Planning Program. The rule, "Compliance with Statutory Program Integrity Requirements," goes into effect May 3, although some provisions have effective dates of July 2, 2019, and March 4, 2020.

Several parties, including 21 states, have filed legal challenges to block the rule. Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the American Medical Association filed a suit arguing that the rule would violate patients' rights, force doctors to withhold information, and harm the 4 million patients who rely on the Title X program for their health care.

For a detailed analysis of the final rule and anticipated impacts should it take effect, see the four-page summary compiled by the National Association of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association. The association also published a side-by-side comparison of the current Title X regulations with the 2019 final rule, including implementation dates for the changes.

President's Budget Request for FY2020
The Trump administration published the President's Budget Request for federal fiscal year 2020. As a reminder, the president submits a budget request to Congress each year that establishes the administration's budget priorities for the coming fiscal year and proposes funding levels for all federal executive departments and agencies. It is up to Congress to pass appropriations legislation to fund the government. The President's Budget Request is not necessarily an indication of how Congress will decide to allocate funds; Congress regularly funds programs differently than what is proposed in the President's Budget request.

With those caveats in mind, here are a few top-line points from the President's Budget Request. It proposes to:

Reduce funding for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant by $17 million compared with fiscal 2019.

Eliminate funding for several programs under the Health Resources and Services Administration that are important to maternal and child health, including:

Screening and treatment for maternal depression;

Autism and other developmental disorders;

Newborn hearing screening;

Emergency medical services for children;

Heritable disorders;

Sickle cell service demonstrations; and

Pediatric mental health care access grants.

Sustain funding for new initiatives to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health, including:

$12 million to support maternal mortality review committees;

$23 million for state maternal health innovation grants; and

$3 million for the Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health.

Sustain $10 million in funding for the new Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies initiative at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

What Can You do?

Join AMCHP in urging your senators and representatives to request that the Title V MCH Block Grant be funded at $698 million in FY2020! Visit AMCHP's website for background materials including general information about Title V and state specific fact sheets.

Contact your representatives and urge them to sign on to the DeGette-Brooks letter prioritizing federal funding for programs, including Title V, to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health, by clicking here.

If you need assistance on any of the above, do not hesitate to contact AMCHP Government Affairs staff Amy Haddad ahaddad@amchp.org or Alyson Northrup anorthrup@amchp.org.

Get Up-To-Date on Federal MCH Policy
The next event in the All-Member National MCH Policy Call series will take place on Thursday, April 11, from 2-3 p.m. ET. Register now.