Rep. Torres Leads NY Delegation in Pressing HHS to Reverse Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant Terminations 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) led a letter, joined by Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representatives Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), Grace Meng (NY-6), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding the reinstatement of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants terminated in New York State.

The terminations affect all three of New York’s Tier 1 direct service grantees: the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Cicatelli Associates, Inc., and Children’s Aid. Together these grants represent more than $4.3 million in annual federal support and serve approximately 19,000 young people each year in New York City, Buffalo, and other communities. Children’s Aid was the only organization providing this programming at the Administration for Children’s Services Children’s Center, a 24/7 intake facility for children removed by Child Protective Services.

Rep. Torres and his colleagues noted that teen pregnancy rates in New York City have risen since 2021, increasing 10 percent from 2021 to 2022 and another 5 percent from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, more than 5,300 New York City teens became pregnant, and roughly three-quarters of those pregnancies were unintended. Teen pregnancy rates in the city’s highest-poverty neighborhoods are 3.6 times higher than in the lowest-poverty neighborhoods.

The letter asks HHS to immediately reinstate grants for programs in good standing. If reinstatement is not available, Rep. Torres and the delegation are asking HHS to provide transition or bridge funding so grantees can maintain services while preserving their eligibility for future funding.

The full letter reads:

“We write as members of the New York congressional delegation to express serious concern regarding the recent termination of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants in New York State and to urge HHS to immediately work with affected grantees and congressional offices to reinstate grants for programs in good standing. If reinstatement is not made available, HHS should provide transition funding, bridge funding, or another administrative remedy to prevent the disruption of evidence-based services and preserve grantees’ eligibility for future funding opportunities. 

“The TPP Program supports evidence-based, medically accurate, and age-appropriate programming that helps young people make informed decisions about their health and futures. Through the Office of Population Affairs, grantees partner with schools, public health agencies, community-based organizations, and youth-serving providers to reduce teen pregnancy, prevent sexually transmitted infections, and promote positive youth development in ways that reflect local needs. 

“In New York, the recent grant terminations affect all three known TPP Tier 1 direct service grantees: the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Cicatelli Associates, Inc., and Children’s Aid. Together, these grants represent over $4.3 million annually in federal support and serve approximately 19,000 young people each year across New York City, Buffalo, and other communities. The loss of this funding will immediately disrupt schools, community sites, public health partners, and youth-serving organizations that built programming, staffing, and partnerships around these federally approved awards, including programs reaching young people in high-need school communities, youth involved with the child welfare system, and justice-involved youth who face heightened barriers to reliable health information, preventive services, and supportive resources.

“The continued need for these services is reflected in recent public health data. Although teen pregnancy rates declined substantially over the past two decades, New York City has experienced increases since 2021, including a 10 percent increase from 2021 to 2022 and a further 5 percent increase from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, there were more than 5,300 pregnancies among New York City teens, approximately three-quarters of which were unintended. During the same period, condom use among sexually active adolescents declined, and the share reporting no contraceptive use increased. These trends underscore the need for sustained investment in interventions that help young people develop risk-reduction skills and access sexual health resources. 

“We share HHS’s stated commitment to effective prevention efforts for adolescents and families, but that commitment is undermined by the abrupt termination of existing grants without a transition period or clear guidance. These terminations will disrupt services that young people, families, schools, and communities rely on, with especially severe consequences in communities experiencing concentrated poverty, where recent New York City data found teen pregnancy rates to be 3.6 times higher than in the lowest-poverty neighborhoods. 

“This decision is especially harmful for programs serving youth who face heightened risks and vulnerabilities. In New York City, Children’s Aid provided programming at the Administration for Children’s Services Children’s Center, a 24/7 intake facility for children removed by Child Protective Services, and was the only organization providing this programming to a highly vulnerable population that may be at increased risk of trafficking, sexual abuse, and unplanned teen pregnancy. Ending this funding cuts off trusted, age-appropriate prevention education and supportive services for youth who are already navigating instability, including young people involved with the child welfare system, students in high-need school communities, and young people who face barriers to reliable health information and support. 

“Accordingly, we respectfully request that HHS provide guidance to affected New York grantees and congressional offices on the following: 

1. Whether HHS will immediately reinstate existing TPP Program grants for programs in good standing so they may continue serving young people while the Department reviews future program priorities; and 

2. If reinstatement is not available, whether HHS will provide continuation funding, bridge funding, or another administrative mechanism to allow affected grantees to maintain services and avoid unnecessary disruption; and 

3. Whether HHS can provide transition guidance, technical assistance, or other support to help affected grantees maintain services and avoid disruption.

“We urge HHS to reverse these terminations and work with New York’s affected grantees and congressional offices to maintain services, minimize disruption, and ensure affected providers have a fair opportunity to compete for future federal funding. Young people should not lose access to medically accurate, evidence-based prevention services because of an abrupt change in federal policy priorities. 

“Thank you for your attention to this matter. We would appreciate a response as soon as possible and welcome the opportunity to work with the Department to identify constructive next steps.”

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