Governor Josh Shapiro has signed off on plans to end Pennsylvania’s 30-year contract with the nonprofit Real Alternatives, an organization that provides counseling, referrals, and other services through partnerships with crisis pregnancy/anti-abortion counseling centers, and is the first organization in the U.S. to secure significant state and federal subsidies to support those centers.
Real Alternatives, which will lose state subsidies on December 31, “has distributed state and federal funds to dozens of Pennsylvania centers, including Catholic Charities, anti-abortion counseling centers and maternity homes,” The Associated Press wrote on Friday, September 1.
From Real Alternatives’ “About Us” section of their website:
Real Alternatives exists to provide life-affirming pregnancy and parenting support services throughout the nation. These compassionate support services empower women to protect their reproductive health, avoid crisis pregnancies, choose childbirth rather than abortion, receive adoption education, and improve parenting skills.
Real Alternatives is the non-profit, charitable organization that administers the Pregnancy and Parenting Support Services for the states of Pennsylvania and Indiana.
According to the website, the General Assembly of Pennsylvania dedicated $7.263 million to its program in 2022/2023 through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
“For decades, taxpayer dollars have gone to fund Real Alternatives. My Administration will not continue that pattern – we will ensure women in this Commonwealth receive the reproductive health care they deserve,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Pennsylvanians made clear by electing me as Governor that they support a woman’s freedom to choose, and I will be steadfast in defending that right.”
The statement continues:
The Shapiro Administration continues to unequivocally support a woman’s right to choose and access the full scope of reproductive health care. These services are essential, and Pennsylvanians deserve honesty and unbiased advice from those they trust with medical care or counsel.
All Pennsylvanians should know that abortion and reproductive health services remain safe, legal, and accessible here in Pennsylvania.
In April, Shapiro launched a new website for reproductive health care resources to provide facts and information in the wake of the Texas decision seeking to restrict access to medication abortions nationwide.
“Your rights and freedoms here in Pennsylvania have not changed — you can get a safe, legal medication abortion using mifepristone in our Commonwealth,” he said in a statement. “As your Governor, I believe decisions on reproductive care are to be made between women and their doctors, not extremist politicians or radical court rulings. Let’s be clear: this Texas judge’s attempt to restrict access to medication abortions is just another attack on a woman’s right to choose. This is about protecting our freedoms, and I won’t back down from that fight.
For ABC News’ coverage published on Friday, September 1, you can click here.
For a 2022 CNN interview with Shapiro regarding his thoughts on the topic, you can click here. You can also watch the PA Attorney General’s Youtube video of Shapiro discussing his office’s “continued commitment to protect abortion access for women” below:
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