Freezing of federal funds for family planning hurts us all

I was appalled to read that the Trump administration has decided to freeze about $4.4 million in federal funding for reproductive health care in New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island (“More than $4m for family planning program in region targeted by US cuts,” Metro, April 7). This money provides cancer screenings, birth control, and annual exams for low-income and uninsured residents. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that federal family planning programs would be cut while the administration investigates whether the funding was related to DEI efforts.

I am a retired clinical psychologist who worked in the 1970s as a bilingual family planning counselor at a community health center. I believe it benefits our entire society to offer cancer screenings, birth control, and annual exams for low-income and uninsured residents. These health services help detect health issues that will require far more expensive care if undetected. They enable children to be planned for and parents to care for their children. Equal rights and inclusiveness in our diverse society ultimately enable everyone to contribute to the well-being of our country.