LA Health Center Unable to Access Federal Funding for Trans Health Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, Feb 6 2025
Contact: Cabot Petoia, clpetoia@gmail.com, 828-899-9239

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Los Angeles – Today, St. John’s Community Health – a network of federally qualified health centers providing free and low cost health care in Southern California – reported that an additional chunk of federal funding through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) intended to support mental health services for trans and nonbinary people has been frozen from their budget.

St. John’s Community Health had been allocated $4 million in five year grants for supporting mental health services for trans and nonbinary people in 2022. There is about $1 million left in this federal grant money that they are now unable to access.

On Monday, St. John’s Community Health reported that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) terminated a federal grant supporting HIV services for their transgender health program.

St. John’s Community Health believes the revocation of their funding is a direct violation of both the law at large, and of the court order which restored federal funding after the temporary freeze. The organization intends to sue, and will seek far-reaching injunctions against the termination of the grants.

“The Trump administration’s attacks on trans health care represent a dangerous interference into people’s private lives and should be concerning to all of us,” said Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “We will not back down and allow the trans community to be treated as collateral in the federal government’s attempt to strip away health care access and bodily autonomy for marginalized communities. Now is the time for state and local governments to step up and protect trans communities and all people from federal attacks.”