War on Women in Texas: Texas Lawmakers Give Extra Support to Anti-Abortion Clinics
Day 14: Despite making deep cuts across the state’s budget, lawmakers increased funding for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy resource centers.
The vast majority of faith-based crisis pregnancy resource centers in Texas go unregulated, but an estimated 26 are affiliated with the state, meaning they receive financial support and oversight from the Texas Pregnancy Care Network, a non-profit charity organization that contracted with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission during the last biennium to distribute $4 million a year in state support to 47 crisis pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, social service agencies and maternity homes.
According to TPCN’s web site, an estimated 1,500 women seek their services each month and more than 40,000 clients have been served since the network was formed in 2006. For the next two years, lawmakers opted to add an additional $300,000 for a total budget of $8.3 million for its Alternatives to Abortion program.
TPCN Executive Director Vince Friedewald said the extra funding will allow it to expand by contracting with more providers and increasing reimbursements.