Deliberate Parenthood affiliate to shut 4 clinics in Minnesota and 4 in Iowa over federal funding cuts
4 Deliberate Parenthood clinics in Minnesota and 4 of the six in Iowa will shut down in a 12 months, the Midwestern affiliate working them stated Friday, blaming a freeze in federal funds, funds cuts proposed in Congress and state restrictions on abortion.
Two of the Minnesota clinics closing are within the Twin Cities space, in Apple Valley and Richfield. The others are in Alexandria and Bemidji.
In response to Deliberate Parenthood North Central States, the 4 closing in Iowa embrace the one Deliberate Parenthood facility within the state that gives abortion procedures, in Ames, dwelling to Iowa State College. The others are in Cedar Rapids, Sioux Metropolis and the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale.
The Deliberate Parenthood affiliate stated it could lay off 66 staff and ask 37 further staff to maneuver to totally different clinics. The group additionally stated it plans to maintain investing in telemedicine companies and sees 20,000 sufferers a 12 months just about. The affiliate serves 5 states — Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
“We have now been combating to carry collectively an unsustainable infrastructure because the panorama shifts round us and an onslaught of assaults continues,” Ruth Richardson, the affiliate’s president and CEO, stated in an announcement.
Of the remaining 15 clinics operated by Deliberate Parenthood North Central States, six will present abortion procedures — 5 of them in Minnesota. The opposite clinic is in Omaha, Nebraska.
The affiliate stated that in April, the Trump administration froze $2.8 million in federal funds for Minnesota to offer contraception and different companies, resembling cervical most cancers screenings and testing for sexually transmitted ailments.
Whereas federal funds cannot be used for many abortions, abortion opponents have lengthy argued that Deliberate Parenthood associates mustn’t obtain any taxpayer {dollars}, saying the cash nonetheless not directly underwrites abortion companies.
Deliberate Parenthood North Central States additionally cited proposed cuts in Medicaid, which gives well being protection for low-income Individuals, in addition to a Trump administration proposal to get rid of funding for teenage being pregnant prevention packages.
As well as, Republican-led Iowa final 12 months banned most abortions after about six weeks of being pregnant, earlier than many ladies know they’re pregnant, inflicting the quantity carried out there to drop 60% within the first six months the legislation was in impact and dramatically growing the variety of sufferers touring to Minnesota and Nebraska.
After the closings, Deliberate Parenthood North Central States will function 10 brick-and-mortar clinics in Minnesota, two in Iowa, two in Nebraska, and one in South Dakota. It operates none in North Dakota, although its Moorhead, Minnesota, clinic is throughout the Purple River from Fargo, North Dakota.
contributed to this report.
