Fw: Coalition member: please send a brief letter supporting familyplanning funding

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Attn: Texas Women!

Martha Murdock, DirectorNational Silicone Implant Foundation | Dallas Headquarters"Supporting Survivors of Medical Implant Devices"4416 Willow LaneDallas, TX 75244-7537

----- Original Message ----- From: Texas Campaign for Women's Health

TCWH Coalition

Cc: TCWH Steering Committee ; WHFPT Board (2002)

Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 3:07 PM

Subject: Coalition member: please send a brief letter supporting familyplanning funding

Dear TCWH Coalition Partners,As you may have already heard, the subcommittee on health and human services has cut funding for Title XX and TANF family planning services by 30%--a $17.68 million cut over 2 years that will knock 59,000 women from eligibility.I am asking coalition partners to send me a brief letter on letterhead of your support for family planning funding. I would like to include your letters in a packet for the committee with fact sheets and client letters.A draft of the cover letter follows.Please fax a brief letter of support--even just a couple of lines as simple as "OUR ORGANIZATION supports the Texas Campaign for Women's Health in it's request that you preserve funding for family planning." This will help us make our case with some impact.Fax me TODAY!!! or as soon as you can at (512) 448-3373.Sincerely--Lesley Ramsey, project directorDRAFT OF TCWH COVER LETTER TO APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE:On behalf of the member organizations of the Texas Campaign for Women¹s Health, I encourage you to preserve Title XX/TANF funding for family planning services.The Texas Campaign for Women¹s Health (TCWH) is a broad-based, statewide advocacy coalition comprising more than 70 cosponsoring organizations, as well as many individuals, working together to improve the status of women¹s health care in Texas. Cosponsoring groups include health care advocates, professional organizations, and community based advocacy, action and support groups (a complete list is attached).Our coalition is committed to seeing that the women of Texas have access to the care necessary to insure their health and well-being, including access to mammography, testing and ambulatory treatment for cervical cancer, diagnosis and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and infections, birth control, osteoporosis prevention education and up-to-date information about the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy‹many services which are typically provided through TDH funded family planning programs.Funding for the family planning program is of utmost importance to the more than 1.5 million uninsured women in Texas.Family planning clinics are the only source of health care for many uninsured and low-income women in our state. Nationwide, more than 80% of women receiving care at family planning clinics have no other source of medical care.Services provided through the Texas Department of Health with Title XX and TANF funds are critical direct care services. A typical family planning visit includes:o A physical examination;o contraceptive methods counseling;o risk reduction education; and,o screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, hypertension, anemia, kidney infection/disease, sexually transmitted diseases and other conditions. The network of family planning clinics around the state is the single largest mechanism for screening women for breast and cervical cancer and diabetes, as well as other conditions for which screening is available. The proposed cut of $17.68 million for the next biennium would eliminate access for more than 59,000 women. It costs less than $150 a year per woman to provide the full scope of care through family planning services, and saves women and the state thousands by averting the costs of unplanned pregnancies, illness and other conditions. Family planning services have been shown to save the state more than $3.30 for every $1 spent in the first year costs alone in Medicaid prenatal, delivery and newborn care for the first year costs.We understand the budget deficit presents you with some very difficult decisions. We deplore the idea of human services agencies and advocates fighting for the same limited dollars. We ask, however, that you consider seriously the impact of cutting funding for health care services that benefit more than 450,000 low-income women each year. Enclosed are several personal appeals from TCWH partners and women who have benefited from family planning services. Please consider their stories when making your final decisions on the health department budget.Sincerely,Lesley RamseyTCWH Project Director********************Lesley RamseyProject DirectorTexas Campaign for Women's Health905-A W. OltorfAustin, Texas 78704(512) 448-4857(512) 448-3373 fax