Impoverished Texans will soon benefit from the dismantling of Planned Parenthood in Texas. The Planned Parenthood Association of Hidalgo County has revealed they are abandoning the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to convert into women’s healthcare facilities that actually provide women’s healthcare, and not abortions. According to the parties involved, the decision was a “practical” one, and the split was amicable (although some Pro-Lifers doubt the veracity of this sentiment). With the separation of Planned Parenthood Association of Hidalgo County from the Federation, clinics in McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, San Juan, and Weslaco will service exclusively women’s health with no ties to abortion.
The move to disaffiliate is the direct fruit of a state budget strategy combined with the creation of a redesigned Texas Women’s Health Program that began in 2011. Spearheaded by Texas Right to Life and committed legislative members, this successful strategy was aimed at transferring taxpayer dollars away from facilities that provide, promote, or refer for abortion. Instead of state funds landing in the coffers of abortion promoters, these funds were funneled towards entities that provide holistic women’s health care.
During the battle for women’s healthcare, legislators firmly told abortion businesses, “We’re no longer going to help you by pumping you with the hard-earned tax dollars of Texans.” Thanks to the perseverance of a few brave lawmakers who pushed for LIFE and women’s healthcare, public funds ceased to be used to fund the killing of young Texans and assist organizations like Planned Parenthood in turning a profit.
The outcry from abortion providers over these budget reallocations, their staunch opposition to ceasing their involvement in abortion, and the subsequent closures of many Planned Parenthood facilities all proved what Pro-Lifers always knew: the bottom line for abortion businesses depended on –what else?—abortion. Chains like Planned Parenthood could not afford to focus on providing real healthcare to women, because their business models fundamentally rely on abortion profits. Without that, the organizations cease to exist.
Without their ties to Planned Parenthood’s abortion committing and referrals (which occur at all current Planned Parenthood locations), the newly-split facilities in the Valley will be eligible to apply to receive funding through the women’s health program, which will in turn allow them to really service the impoverished women of the Rio Grande Valley. Solely disaffiliating does not automatically ensure the clinics are eligible for state funding; instead, the clinics must execute an affidavit promising not to be involved in promoting or referring patients for abortions.
The new chain of clinics will be called Access Esperanza Clinics, Inc. That’s a big win for Texas women and their babies!
