Trump will give $5.1 million to Obria Group for opposing Abortion

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The White House administration of Trump has announced that it will provide $5.1 million in family planning funds to a chain of crisis pregnancy centers opposing abortion and don’t offer contraceptives. The Obria Group is a Southern California based non-profit and describes itself as being led by God. The group is looking to take both patients and money away from Planned Parenthood. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services has announced the grant on Friday. The Department simultaneously announced the cutting of funds to some Planned Parenthood affiliates.

President and CEO of Essential Access Health, Julie Rabinovitz will receive $21 million in 2019 to provide family planning services in California. It also raised concerns regarding Obria entering the program due to it doesn’t offer a comprehensive range of contraception options. She said, “We’re very concerned that by Obria entering into the program. They are denying women information regarding all their health care options. It could really decrease the progress we have made in reducing unintended pregnancies”. The recent grant to Obria includes $1.7 million for the first year. The group is also expecting to receive a total amount of $5.1 million during the next 3 years.

The decision of Trump administration to fund Obria is being seen as an indication of its wish to move family planning funds towards faith-based groups. These groups oppose abortion and away from groups like Planned Parenthood. The funding comes from Title X (the federal grant program) that subsidizes birth control, cancer screenings, and other medical care for 4 million low-income patients. Moreover, Title X funds don’t pay for abortion services as a method of family planning, affiliates of Planned Parenthood. It receives a substantial share of the program’s funds in order to carry out abortions using other funds. The Department of Health and Human Services has introduced changes to the grant program to make it harder for clinics that offer abortions to qualify for the funds.