Republican lawmakers worked with Gov. Bill Lee this year to put aside $20 million dollars in the upcoming budget for crisis pregnancy centers, which counsel people against abortions.
Governor Lee made it a top priority after abortion was made illegal in the state to boost support for people and families facing unplanned pregnancies.
The $20 million dollars will be used to create a grant program that these centers can apply for. Some of the services the grant will cover include mental health and counseling services, support for adoption, and housing and workforce assistance.
The amount allocated to crisis pregnancy centers nationally has jumped significantly over the past decade as more Republican-led states have restricted abortion.
These groups can’t apply for the grants until after July 1 when the next fiscal year begins.
In a statement, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee CEO Ashely Coffield, criticized the funding increase, saying crisis pregnancy centers have a long history of dishonest and unsafe practices.
Coffield says the $20 million proposal, “is more than all states spent on crisis pregnancy centers nationwide just a few years ago.”
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