Recent cuts at the local and federal levels make it harder for Philadelphians to access contraception, STI testing, abortions, and other life-saving medical care.
PHILADELPHIA – Today, the City’s Reproductive Freedom Task Force, chaired by Councilmember Kendra Brooks (At-Large), spoke out about the consequences of recent cuts to reproductive health organizations in Philadelphia. Devastating federal cuts were widely anticipated, but cuts to funding from the City of Philadelphia in the 2026 budget came as a surprise to many local organizations, including Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania.
“Trump made good on his promises to cut funding and I have to ask, why is Philadelphia following his lead?” said Councilmember Kendra Brooks. “We knew these federal cuts were coming, and we knew who would be hurt – overwhelmingly, Black and brown women living in low-income neighborhoods.”
Councilmember Brooks also announced a City Council hearing to examine “the real human cost of federal and local cuts to reproductive healthcare and identify ways that our city can join other cities like Chicago, Atlanta, and Baltimore in taking a stronger, more proactive stance against the escalating attacks on our reproductive rights.”
Since 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the City of Philadelphia has allocated between $450K and $1.2 million each year to local non-profit organizations that provide low-income Philadelphians with access to contraception, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, abortions, and other life-saving medical care. In the 2026 budget, despite widely anticipated federal cuts to reproductive healthcare, that number dropped to $0.
“Thanks to grants from the City of Philadelphia in recent years, the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA has helped thousands of people access essential healthcare,” said Katia Pérez, Interim Executive Director of the Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania. “We know abortion access remains under constant attack. Local governments must step up to defend the vulnerable communities they serve when their very existence and bodily autonomy are being targeted at the federal level.”
“Here in Philadelphia, the stakes are especially high,” said Dr. Alhambra Frarey, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania. “Our city has the second highest STI rates in the country, faces a shortage of OB/GYNs and family medicine providers, and existing providers—like Sexual Health Centers and LGBTQ+ health sites—are already stretched thin. As a safety-net provider, Planned Parenthood plays an irreplaceable role in this fragile system.”
“Philadelphia needs to be the voice for reproductive health when our federal government isn’t stepping up to the plate,” said Councilmember Rue Landau (At-Large), who is a member of the Reproductive Freedom Task Force. “Our healthcare providers deserve to feel supported by their local government, especially when they’re the ones providing life-saving services. With major funding cuts coming from the White House, we need to show up for reproductive healthcare however we can as a municipality.”
“Because of the nationwide attacks on reproductive rights, I’m seeing more mistrust and more misinformation among my patients,” said Dr. Chioma Ndubisi, Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Penn Medicine, and member of the Reproductive Freedom Task Force. “Our local reproductive health organizations provide the facts and education that Philadelphians need to take care of their health.”
“For young people, reproductive rights are about health, education, and the ability to make informed choices,” said Mia Santiago, a senior at Central High School and youth member of the Reproductive Freedom Task Force. “They are about ensuring that when students experience their first menstrual cycles, they aren’t left scared or ashamed, but supported. They are about access to real education that equips us to protect ourselves, understand consent, and know the consequences of our choices.”
“Everyone regardless of gender, background, or income deserves the ability to make choices that improve their quality of life,” said Fernanda Sesto, an advocate for reproductive freedom. “That is why I stand with Planned Parenthood: because whether it’s abortion, birth control, or basic healthcare, control over your own body should never be a privilege, but a right.”
The Reproductive Freedom Task Force formed in October 2024 to identify and address emerging threats to reproductive healthcare in Philadelphia. The Task Force consists of over thirty members, including providers, legal experts, advocates, and leaders of various City departments.
