Baker-Polito Administration announces $4.1 million to improve access to reproductive health, including abortion care

BOSTON (December 28, 2022) – The Baker-Polito Administration announced $4.1 million in grants to 11 community-based organizations and health care providers to improve access to reproductive health, including abortion care, across the Commonwealth.

The 11 funded organizations include existing health care organizations that provide abortion services, sexual and reproductive health care providers that will begin offering abortion services, and support for costs associated with receiving abortion care, for example, transportation, childcare payments, lodging, translation services, and abortion doulas.

“Today’s announcement is one more step in affirming this Administration’s commitment to ensuring access to reproductive health care, including access to the full spectrum of reproductive health services,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. “These funds help fulfill that commitment by expanding access to timely and safe reproductive health care that meets the needs of individuals and families.”

“Funding provided by these awards will support the infrastructure and capacity of reproductive health providers throughout the Commonwealth to ensure that sexual and reproductive health services are accessible to all Massachusetts residents and other individuals who may come to our state to seek care,” said Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke.

These funds come from the FY23 state budget, which appropriated $2 million to support improvements in reproductive health access, infrastructure, and security. An additional $2.1 million comes from a reserve fund established by Chapter 268 of the Acts of 2022 to address reproductive and family planning service needs in the Commonwealth. Grant recipients will use the funds to expand access to abortion services in new regions across the Commonwealth, increase the use of telehealth in abortion care, train providers, implement organizational development for all-volunteer abortion funds, and improve outreach.

Awarded organizations include:

-Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
-Boston Medical Center
-Cambridge Health Alliance
-Health Imperatives
-HealthQ
-Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
-Tides for Reproductive Freedom and its sub-grantees, Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts, Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund and the Jane Fund of Central Massachusetts
-Women’s Health Services