El Paso, Texas Planned Parenthood May Shift HIV/AIDS Programs to Other Organizations to Refocus Its Services

The Planned Parenthood Center of El Paso has begun to refocus its services on family planning and women's health, and likely will shift its HIV/AIDS support programs to other providers that specialize in such services, according to the local agency's board president, the El Paso Times reports. According to the agency, 56 percent of the center's budget was earmarked for HIV/AIDS programs, while 30 percent was for family planning and primary health care. Lynn Salas, board president of the El Paso Planned Parenthood, said, "The [Planned Parenthood Federation of America] felt our AIDS/HIV programs had grown so much we were not focusing enough on the core mission, and we began in mid-March to plan the changes we are still working out" (Valdez, El Paso Times, 6/3).