Following a decision by the 93rd General Assembly, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), will now be able to being distributing $1,000,000 to be made available to pregnancy centers around the state who were formed and in operation prior to Jan. 1, 2022.
According to documents available on the DFA’s website a request for an emergency rule to be enacted was filed July 7 for the organization to be in compliance with Act 187 which was passed by the legislature during the 93rd General Assembly Fiscal Session of this year.
In his letter, Larry Walther with the DFA stated “Pregnancy resource centers preserve public peace, health and safety by providing a range of services to individuals facing unintended pregnancies. These pregnancy resource center have been underfunded. This grant program will allow centers in need to apply for grant funding to assist with serving pregnant women,” Walther said.
Qualifying organizations include organizations traditionally known as “Crisis Pregnancy Organizations”; maternity homes, adoption agencies and social services agencies that provide material support and other assistance to individuals facing an unintended pregnancy to help those individuals give birth to their unborn children.
Those who qualify may seek grant funding through the program by obtaining a copy of the application form through the Department of Finance and Administration.
The application requires plans be laid out in writing including a narrative describing the current activities of the entity, the range of services the entity intends to provide if awarded funding, key staff information and more.
Walther noted in his letter, funds will be dispersed in increments and quarterly reports will be required to be submitted by those awarded grant funding.
The potential relief to underfunded pregnancy centers and other organizations similarly situated follows the Supreme Court’s decision to return state’s rights decision regarding abortion.
In Arkansas, the only allowance for abortion is to save the life of the mother.
Act 187 was signed into law in March. The emergency clause and move to disperse funds quickly is the first step the state has taken to aid women facing motherhood following the state’s decision to ban most forms of abortion.
There are approximately 40 pregnancy centers statewide.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
