Converge is Granted Title X Funding to Offer Reproductive Health Care in TN.
October 2023
[Jackson, MS] – On Friday, September 29. 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded Title X federal funding, to Converge to administer family planning programs in Tennessee. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to increasing access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care among individuals with low incomes.
Under Title X, Converge will support a network of clinics in Tennessee offering high-quality and person-centered sexual and reproductive health care. Services including birth control consultations, STD testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and more will be offered for free or low-cost. No one who seeks care at a Converge clinic in Tennessee will be turned away based on their ability to pay.
Converge is the current administrator of Title X funding in Mississippi where this model has proven successful. “We are excited to share what has worked in Mississippi while continuing to adapt and innovate to meet the unique needs of Tennesseans. Together, we can advance equity and ensure everyone has the opportunity to live life on their own terms,” said Danielle Lampton, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Converge.
Too many people lack access to sexual and reproductive health care and suffer poor health outcomes as a result. In 2021, Tennessee reported a maternal mortality rate of 62.4 deaths per 100,000 live births. This rate increases when looking at maternal mortality rates among people of color, and is coupled with a 10.1% uninsured rate , higher than the national average.
“In Tennessee, as with so many places across the country in the post-Dobbs era, there is a heightened need for clinics that offer the full range of sexual and reproductive health services. We want to help fill these gaps with high-quality, person-centered care. We want Tennesseans to know there is help available,” said Jaime Bardwell, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Converge.
About Converge
Converge is a Mississippi based non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring everyone has access high-quality, person-centered sexual and reproductive health care when, how, and where they need it. Converge collaborates with health care providers, insurance companies, and community partners to build a health care system that places people at the center of sexual and reproductive health care.