The breast cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced Friday that it was reversing its unpopular decision to de-fund breast health services provided through the women's health provider Planned Parenthood.
Komen representatives had said decision to strip Planned Parenthood of funding was made because the agency was the subject of an investigation initiated by a Republican congressman. Komen had a new policy to not fund grant applications made by organizations under investigation. Planned Parenthood representatives, including those in Connecticut, said the decision was made due to political pressure from anti-abortion activists, as the agency does provide abortion services.
On Friday, Komen issued a statement saying it was "distressed at the presumption the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not."
According to the statement, Komen will amend its grant criteria to say that agencies under investigation will be excluded from funding only if the investigation is "criminal and conclusive in nature and not political."
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America also issued a statement Friday, saying it was "heartened" that Komen had reversed its decision and that the two agencies "can continue to work in partnership toward our shared commitment to breast health for the most under served women."
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, the agency serving Connecticut, was planning a press conference late Friday afternoon in New Haven to discuss the latest news.
Earlier this week, representatives of the local Planned Parenthood, as well as those from Susan G. Komen fund's Connecticut affiliate expressed dismay over the decision. Komen Connecticut board president Ann Hogan said Monday that she knew little about Komen's decision to defund, but it was "frustrating," as Komen Connecticut has a good relationship with Planned Parenthood.
Before Friday's reversal of the funding decision, Komen Connecticut issued a statement saying it was against its national office's new policy of not giving grants to agencies under investigation. The letter states that the local Komen affiliate planned to work with the national office to "make local grant decisions ... based on the merits of the applications submitted.
Last year, Komen Connecticut gave $38,000 to the local Planned Parenthood. That grant will be continued until the end of this fiscal year in June. Even prior to the Komen decision, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England had not applied for grant funding the upcoming fiscal year, so it's unclear how much the Komen decision would have affected them.
