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Groups File Formal Complaint Against State's $1.6 Million Women's Health Contract

Ryan Poppe
Houston State Rep. Jessiica Farrar and other file complaint and ask for investigation into the Heidi Group

Groups outraged by the state awarding the Heidi Group a $1.6 million contract to provide women’s healthcare have called for an investigation of the procurement of that state money.  Houston Democratic State Rep. Jessica Farrar says the group that was founded by anti-abortion activist Carol Everett does not possess a medical license in order operate.

“Moreover, the organization is led by a very vocal and very active anti-abortion advocate, the problem here is Texas women cannot afford to have biased, it’s not even healthcare, so I can’t call it healthcare because they’re not licensed," Farrar explains.

Farrar says the Heidi Group also does not currently provide contraception to it’s patients requesting them, but in a statement, the group’s founder Everett says they will contract with third-party doctors’ offices to provide those type of services if there is a need.

The $1.6 million grant is the second highest grant to be awarded by the Texas Health Human Services Commission under the state’s Women’s Health Program, that was set up in 2005.

Ryan started his radio career in 2002 working for Austin’s News Radio KLBJ-AM as a show producer for the station's organic gardening shows. This slowly evolved into a role as the morning show producer and later as the group’s executive producer.