FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Audrey Ann Ross
215-985-2619
Audrey.Ross@accessmatters.org
AccessMatters’ Statement on Court Action Pausing Overhaul of Federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
(Philadelphia, PA – August 20, 2026): On August 19th, 2026, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in response to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) proposed overhaul of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program.
AccessMatters’ President & CEO, Ayana Bradshaw, released the followed statement in response:
“We are greatly encouraged by the decision of Judge Cooper to issue a preliminary injunction regarding the proposed overhaul of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program. AccessMatters was one of the over 50 public health organizations across the country impacted by the abrupt cancellation of the program’s funding in July.
The Teen Pregnancy Prevention program is a cornerstone of the public health safety net. It provides evidence-based, rigorously evaluated education to youth across the nation. The programming funded by the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program has been proven to reduce rates of teen pregnancy. Since the program was established in 2010, teen pregnancy rates in the United States have declined substantially, marking a record low last year. The progress made in reducing teen pregnancy only underscores the importance of making sure youth have access to the appropriate knowledge to make decisions that are best for their health.
Through AccessMatters’ Teen Pregnancy Prevention grant, which funded our Adolescent Health Initiative program before the cancellation, we reached over 2,500 youth in Philadelphia, as well as over 1,400 parents, caregivers, and youth-serving professionals. The premature cancellation of this funding has been devastating for youth and families, and those who serve them.
These funds have been appropriated by Congress to be spent on these programs before September 30. We are hopeful that this decision will encourage the immediate restoration of Teen Pregnancy Prevention program funding to all organizations that had their funding cancelled in July. AccessMatters urges HHS to act now to immediately restore the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program funding and mitigate further harm to youth nationwide.”
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AccessMatters’ mission is to protect, expand, and enhance access to sexual and reproductive health care and information for all people. For more information about AccessMatters’ programs, follow @AccessMatters4U on Twitter, and @AccessMatters on Facebook.