Anti Abortion Group under Investigation

Progress Texas asked the state to investigate the contract awarded to an anti-abortion group under a governmental health program, New Texas Women. The contract had the value of $1.6 million.

The Heidi Group is founded by the anti abortion activist Carol Everett, and local advocacy representatives said that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission awarded the funds in a non-rational manner to an organization that has anti-abortion views.

The program is supposed to offer reproductive health care services, including cancer screenings, well-woman exams, and contraception for low-income Texan women.

The advocates say that the anti abortion groups must not be interposed between Texas women and their state-granted access to health care. Moreover, they said that the group must be investigated for fraud.

As for the Heidi Group, the new contract would quadruple their operating budget. The $100,000 capital of the organization belongs in entirety to Carol Everett, who is also the group’s only employee.

Perhaps following the contract winning, the nonprofit organization posted job ads for billing support staff and a clinical program director.

Carol Everett is also involved in the Women’s Health Advisory Committee, providing advice to the state department in regards to the reproductive health care safety net.

In the last years, Texas had to reorganize its health care public services because the Planned Parenthood had been banned from receiving funds. Choosing a person that promotes anti abortion ideas can be a way to compromise the new state health program.

The spokesperson for the Health and Human Services Commission said that the Heidi Group had undergone a change in focus and from now on, they will offer planning services such as birth control and sexually transmissible infections diagnosis and treatment.

The leader of the group confirmed their commitment to providing health programs to women in rural zones. Moreover, Carol Everett declared that the money was not the issue of the matter and that she will get any profits out of the funds offered by the state for the program.

Another action that Everett promised will take place in the state is offering organic bug spray to the women from the Rio Grande Valley, in order to fight the Zika virus.

However, the Progress Texas advocacy group was not impressed. They asked the office of the state’s auditor to analyze the contract and to terminate the collaboration with the Heidi Group. A petition was launched online asking for public’s support in this matter.

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