News Release

HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces the Availability of Funding for the Support of Pregnant and Parenting Teens and Women

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Public Health and Science today announced that it will begin accepting applications for the Pregnancy Assistance Fund. 

Created by the Affordable Care Act, this competitive grant program will provide pregnant and parenting teens and women a seamless network of supportive services to help them complete high school or postsecondary degrees and gain access to health care, child care, family housing, and other critical support.  In addition, States can use the funds to combat violence against pregnant women.  This $25 million per year program will provide much needed financial assistance for states and communities across the country to provide supports for pregnant women and teens.

“The opportunity created by the Affordable Care Act will provide States and Tribes needed assistance to support vulnerable teens and women who are pregnant and parenting,” said Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “The Pregnancy Assistance Fund provides States the opportunity to link these families to health, education, child care, and other supports that can help brighten the futures of parents and their children.”

States can use funding from the Pregnancy Assistance Fund to work with a wide range of stakeholders to provide needed services to pregnant teens and women who have decided to carry their pregnancies to term and to those who are parenting. Key stakeholders, such as institutions of higher education, high schools, community organizations, and State Attorneys General offices, are identified in the legislation as potential partners for States in this program. Programs will be tasked with connecting families to the supportive services they need and ensuring a focus on important outcomes such as graduation rates, maternal and child health outcomes, and parenting skills.

The Act appropriates $25 million for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2019 for the purpose of awarding competitive grants to States and Indian tribes or reservations.  It is anticipated that up to 25 grants in the amounts of $500,000 - $2,000,000 per year will be awarded.  The application deadline is August 2, 2010.

For more information on this funding opportunity announcement, please visit http://www.hhs.gov/ophs/oah/prevention/grants/announcements/index.html.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

Last revised: January 03, 2011