16 Apr Mayday! A Critical Community Conversation

For Immediate Release
April 16, 2025

Mayday: A Community Conversation About the Title X Funding Freeze & What It Means for OACAC Family Planning

SPRINGFIELD, MO — Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) invites the public to a critical community conversation about the future of Title X services in Southwest Missouri. The event will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at OACAC, 215 S. Barnes Avenue in Springfield.

Title X, enacted in 1970, is the only federal program dedicated solely to providing individuals with family planning and related preventive health services. A new budget period for Title X was set to begin on April 1, 2025, but funding for more than 20 states—including Missouri—has been frozen. Millions of dollars earmarked for essential healthcare services are now inaccessible, placing thousands at risk of losing access to vital care.

OACAC’s Family Planning program, which includes a clinic in Springfield and partnerships with several county health departments [Barry County Health Department, Lawrence County Health Department, Polk County Health Department, Stone County Health Department, Taney County Health Department, Wright County Health Department], is directly impacted by the freeze. For over 40 years, the program has provided high-quality, affordable care to Southwest Missourians.

In the last fiscal year (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025), the clinic served 1,857 patients through 3,128 visits, offering:

• 534 Pap tests, including 89 abnormal results requiring follow-up care
• 621 clinical breast exams
• 4,929 STI tests, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV, and Syphilis

The impact of this funding cannot be overstated:

• 71% of patients reported having no primary care provider
• 59% were uninsured

“We remain committed to offering these vital services for as long as we can,” said Jamie Raab, OACAC Family Planning Director. “However, the federal funding freeze poses a serious threat to our ability to operate. Title X accounts for nearly half—48%—of our clinic’s budget. To continue serving our community, we must increase patient volume, identify new funding sources, and secure private donations.”

Abby Pendergrass, with the Stone County Health Department, emphasized the local impact:

“We operate a Title X clinic in a medically underserved area. Our clients already face significant barriers—limited income, lack of transportation, and few healthcare options. Without Title X, many will lose access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI care, and more. This funding freeze could be devastating for the health of our entire community.”

OACAC Family Planning provides confidential care to all individuals, regardless of insurance status. The Springfield clinic is open Monday–Thursday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., with telehealth appointments also available. Services are covered by Medicaid, insurance, or a sliding fee scale. Medications are available on-site to reduce barriers for the uninsured.

To schedule an appointment, call (417) 864-3410. To provide a donation to support the work of OACAC’s Family Planning program, please visit https://www.oac.ac/donate and select Family Planning from the drop-down menu. To share the Mayday Facebook event, visit OACAC’s page https://www.facebook.com/oacacmo.

OACAC Family Planning is one of seven OACAC programs working to reduce poverty and strengthen families across Southwest Missouri. Learn more at https://www.oac.ac.

Media Contact:
Lindsey Dumas-Bell
Resource Development Manager
[email protected] | (417) 873-3375