As it unveiled a new mobile medical unit at the State House on Tuesday, Maine Family Planning urged state lawmakers to fully fund a bill that would boost the state’s annual allocation for the roughly 60 sexual and reproductive health clinics across the state.
Maine Family Planning President and CEO George Hill said state funding has remained flat at roughly $900,000 for a decade, while expenses have gone up.
“The result is that we are only able to be open for one day a week at some sites, and that basically contributes to a death spiral at some clinics. You definitely need to be open so people can make use of your services,” Hill said.
The bill, which is before the Appropriations Committee, would increase annual funding to nearly $3.4 million a year. Hill said the increase is also needed because federal funding is threatened by lawsuits and the potential outcome of the next presidential election.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.