Tax Dollars Are Funding Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Crisis pregnancy centers are not only spreading mis-and disinformation regarding people's reproductive health, but they are funded by your tax dollars. These so-called "pregnancy resource centers” have the primary mission to steer people away from abortion and contraception. And for years, federal and state governments have been their financial partners, especially since Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
A report by Health Management Associates found that nearly $430 million in federal funding flowed to more than 650 CPCs across 49 states and Washington, D.C., between 2017 and 2023. That funding didn't come from one place; it came through a web of programs many people associate with legitimate public health, such as the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program, the Title X Federal Family Planning Program (Title X), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and even COVID-relief dollars through the CARES Act.
Much of this money was earmarked for teen pregnancy prevention and family planning, and is now directed to organizations that oppose contraception and comprehensive sex education.
What are CPCs?
According to the Crisis Pregnancy Center Map, a research initiative maintained by the University of Georgia, CPCs are generally faith-based nonprofit organizations that offer a limited set of free or low-cost services such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and diapers, while working to influence people's reproductive decisions away from abortion. They often look like health facilities and advertise medical services, but they are not regulated as health clinics, are not typically staffed by licensed health care professionals, do not follow established medical or ethical practice standards, and are not under HIPAA privacy protections.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, and the American Public Health Association have all issued position statements warning that CPCs pose real risks to individual and public health. Research has documented that CPCs routinely provide inaccurate information — falsely claiming, for instance, that abortion causes mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. Many advertise "abortion reversal pills," a procedure the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists describes as unproven and unethical.
One example of how CPCs are supported by the state is in Florida. The state ranks second in the nation for the number of CPCs, with 161 centers operating across the state as of 2023-2024. Nearly 78% of Florida counties have at least one CPC, and the ratio of CPCs to actual health care facilities providing abortion services stands at 2.9 to 1. Nearly 18% of Florida counties are classified as maternity care deserts. The state has responded to this crisis by supporting CPCs. Florida maintains a dedicated CPC grant program, benefits CPCs through "Choose Life" license plate sales, and has taken no legislative action to regulate CPCs, issue consumer alerts about their practices, or warn residents about the risks of seeking care there.
Sex Ed Dollars Going to Centers Opposing Sex Ed
Federal dollars allocated for sex education are reaching organizations that actively work against it. CPCs frequently operate abstinence-only-before-marriage programs in local public schools — programs that every major health organization has identified as ineffective and potentially harmful. Yet through programs like the TPP program, federal money designed to support young people's health has been funneled to organizations whose sexual health philosophy is rooted in shame, not science.
Every dollar sent to a CPC to teach abstinence-only content is a dollar not going to the comprehensive sex education that actually reduces teen pregnancy rates, increases contraceptive use, and helps young people make informed decisions about their bodies and their futures.
What Real Reproductive Health Support Looks Like
A 2026 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report confirmed that the full extent of federal CPC funding is unknown because these organizations are not easily identifiable in federal spending databases. The GAO was only able to directly track $34 million in HHS grants to 16 CPCs — a figure the report itself acknowledges almost certainly underestimates the true total. Furthermore, we don’t know exactly how CPCs are using these funds.
People deserve to make informed decisions about their bodies, their pregnancies, and their futures. And these decisions should be grounded in accurate information, real options, and genuine care. Learn more about how you can support abortion access for all.
Taxpayer money should serve to improve access to evidence-based sex education that is medically accurate, unbiased, and inclusive. It also means supporting organizations that promote access to the full range of contraceptive methods and care, not just pregnancy tests. And it means that when someone walks through a door that looks like a health clinic, they can trust that what's inside actually is one.
CPCs are not that. Funding them with public dollars is a failure of accountability, a failure of transparency, and a failure of the people these programs are supposed to serve.
If you are in need of abortion services and are looking for resources, Bedsider and AbortionFinder are human-led and committed to never adding fake clinics, ever.
