FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill — Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri announced it will open a new health center in Fairview Heights, Illinois.
The facility will start taking patients in mid-October. It will offer family planning and abortion care.
According to a press release, Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region will expand abortion services in the new facility, providing both surgical and medication abortions. RHS will also continue serving patients at the St. Louis health center on Forest Park Ave.
“We are thrilled to be able to better serve our patients through this new center, both in Southern Illinois and around the region,” said Yamelsie Rodriguez, President and CEO of PPSLRSWMO. “Close to 5,000 people sought care at our Fairview Heights health center last year alone, and this new center will allow us to serve even more.”
The new location will replace the organization’s current Fairview Heights health center.
The press release said it will increase access to abortion by offering both medication and surgical abortion. The current Fairview Heights center offers medication abortion and a full range of family planning services, including birth control, annual exams, cancer screenings, STI testing, and HIV prevention, including PrEP.
All of these services will be available at the new center.
Protesting abortion rights outside the existing Fairview Heights clinic Wednesday, Pat Werner says she learned about the new clinic just hours ago.
“We're kind of in shock, but we know God has a plan,” Werner said. “Life will prevail, and God will prevail.”
Werner and the other demonstrators are on Day 8 of a 40-day prayer campaign outside the clinic, which will close before their campaign's complete.
“ We're working on how we're going to handle that,” Werner said. “As soon as they close, we will make efforts to be at that other one. What particular place, we're not sure. We know there's no sidewalk out there, and they've got the fence pretty close to the curb. But hopefully, we will find a way to be there.”
Missouri’s only licensed abortion provider, Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, will continue providing surgical abortions at the health center on Forest Park Avenue, the press release said.
“While we continue the fight to maintain access in Missouri, we are excited to expand our abortion services in Illinois,” said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, Chief Medical Officer of PPSLRSWMO. “The new health center is a testament to the needs of the greater bi-state region and our commitment to provide, protect and expand access to health care, no matter what. We look forward to joining other abortion providers across the area, including our partners at Hope Clinic for Women, as regional leaders in the quest to ensure every person can control their reproductive destiny.”