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Committee approves $200,000 for reproductive care in DeKalb; sponsor reduces Feminist Women's Health Center request to $150,000
Summary
The committee approved a one‑time allocation of $200,000 for comprehensive reproductive care: $150,000 to Feminist Women's Health Center and $50,000 to ARC Southeast for Plan B distribution. Sponsor Commissioner Ted Terry reduced the initial request, and Commissioner Bolton abstained from the vote.
The Planning, Economic Development and Community Services Committee approved a one‑time allocation of $200,000 to expand access to reproductive and maternal care in DeKalb County. The action directs up to $150,000 to Feminist Women's Health Center (discounted/free care slots and indigent care) and $50,000 to ARC Southeast for Plan B distribution.
Commissioner Ted Terry, the item's sponsor, said Georgia has one of the nation's highest maternal mortality rates and that most pregnancy‑related deaths in the state are preventable. He described proposed services to be funded, including blood pressure monitoring, STD screening, transportation support and community‑based prenatal and postnatal care to reduce emergency‑room visits and improve outcomes.
Terry said he had reduced the Feminist Women's Health Center request by $100,000 from the original proposal; the revised allocations are $150,000 to the Feminist Women's Health Center and $50,000 to ARC Southeast. He noted contract language that would require reporting on services provided and counts of discounted and indigent care slots; the packet included numbers the sponsor said reflected the provider's charity and indigent care capacities (1,856 charity care slots and 928 indigent care slots under the proposed funding levels).
Commissioner Bolton announced he would abstain from the vote. The committee moved, seconded and approved the item by voice vote with the abstention noted.
