AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas health officials are drastically reducing a $5 million family planning contract with an anti-abortion group that won’t serve nearly as many women as expected.
Carrie Williams is a spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. She said Monday that the Heidi Group’s new contract calls for serving about one-fifth of the nearly 18,000 women originally projected.
Texas hired the Heidi Group to help launch a new women’s health program after the state cut off Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers in 2011.
The Heidi Group is led by Carol Everett, a prominent anti-abortion activist and influential conservative force in the Texas Legislature. She didn’t immediately return an after-hours phone call or email Monday.
Williams said a delayed start contributed to the Heidi Group falling short.
Copyright 2017. Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
