HHS Terminates $67 Million in Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Friday that it has terminated more than $67 million in Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) grants, ending funding for 53 of 67 Biden-era awards and notifying over 50 organizations that their grants will not be renewed.

According to HHS, the decision follows a review by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health’s Office of Population Affairs, which determined that some funded curricula were “medically inaccurate,” “age-inappropriate,” and “sexually explicit.” The agency said certain programs allegedly normalized adolescent sexual activity in ways that did not align with the statutory mission of the TPP initiative.

Among the organizations affected are Planned Parenthood affiliates, state and local health departments, university systems, and nonprofit groups, including entities in California, Maryland, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. The agency said the changes are intended to redirect resources toward programs that prioritize prevention strategies without exposing minors to explicit sexual content.

HHS cited specific curricula used by some grantees, including materials that described sexual scenarios, condom use demonstrations, and references to pornography. Officials argued that such content was not necessary for achieving teen pregnancy prevention goals and raised concerns about appropriateness for adolescent audiences.

The department also announced new grant opportunities that will prioritize “body literacy” education while excluding content that is deemed obscene, indecent, or sexually explicit, including material that normalizes sexual activity among minors.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a Florida House committee advanced a Medicaid funding ban for abortion providers.