PBS, NPR and local perspective for western Mass.

Under Trump Proposal, Funding Cuts At Stake For Western Mass. Health Clinics

A Tapestry health clinic in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Carol Lollis

The Trump administration has proposed new rules which could mean funding cuts for health clinics in Massachusetts and other states. 

Under the proposal, health centers that provide abortions or refer patients to facilities which do so would not be eligible for federal Title X funding. That's a program that pays for family planning and related health services for low-income people.

Cheryl Zoll is the CEO of Tapestry, which runs six health centers in western Massachusetts and refers patients for abortions. She said Tapestry gets roughly 20 percent of its funding from the federal program.

"If Title X funding were significantly diminished, or eliminated," Zoll said, "that would mean that in all four counties of western Mass., it would be much, much harder for people to access birth control, testing for sexually-transmitted infections, HIV testing -- all of the kinds of things that Title X helps us to support."

If the changes go through, Zoll said she'll look to the local community and the state to provide money to keep the services in place. 

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Before joining New England Public Media, Alden was a producer for the CBS NEWS program 60 Minutes. In that role, he covered topics ranging from art, music and medicine to business, education and politics.