NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee has filed a lawsuit against the Tennessee Department of Health to restore funding.
Planned Parenthood said the suit in federal district court seeks to restore preventive care funding under the HIV Prevention Services Grant program and the Syphilis Elimination Grant program.
The suit argues that Planned Parenthood was kicked out of the HIV and syphilis elimination programs for providing comprehensive women's health care, which they said is a violation of federal law and the constitutional rights of Planned Parenthood.
The organization said they won funding for community education and health services work in these programs in August 2011 following a competitive bidding process. However, the grant contracts were dropped in December for "no reason".
Planned Parenthood says it was also done without identifying a qualified provider to meet the need left by the elimination of Planned Parenthood from these prevention programs.
"It is disgraceful that Governor Haslam and Commissioner Dreyzehner have put politics ahead of the health and well-being of thousands of Tennesseans," said Jeff Teague, PPMET's CEO in a statement. "Women and men count on Planned Parenthood for lifesaving health information, including HIV prevention. To jeopardize the lives and health of young people across Tennessee for purely political reasons is shocking and irresponsible."
Planned Parenthood said their Education and Training department provides STD prevention education through relationships with more than 100 organizations, and is a primary source of training for professionals who educate youth on STD prevention and other issues.
