Abortion

Who Needs Planned Parenthood When There’s a “Care Center” Near?

Sometimes people need a reminder that there is more to reproductive health than caring for a pregnancy.

A faction of residents, especially in the more rural areas of Nebraska, have been coming together to try and oppose a proposed expansion of Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.  But one letter to a Kearney newspaper explaining the opposition to the project made me feel like the writer wasn’t being totally upfront about her facts.

Via the Kearney Hub:

Planned Parenthood plans to open six new clinics in Nebraska, and one is planned for Kearney. Planned Parenthood says it will provide reproductive health services needed in the community. All of those services are already provided, except for abortion.

The local non-profit Collage Center offers pregnancy tests, limited OB ultrasounds, after-abortion counseling, information on STDs and confidential counseling all free of charge. Other services are provided by local doctors.

A non-profit that already provides all the reproductive health services except abortion?  Wonderful!

Except, no, they don’t.  The Center doesn’t provide STD tests, contraception, or anything that would actually assist someone looking after their reproductive health, other than pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.  And, of course, “Using Condoms to Protect Against STDs Is A Myth.”

In fact, despite the writer’s claim, Collage Center provides very little actual medical assistance, and has a licensed doctor on staff only because that allows them to provide ultrasounds to pregnant women.

That’s because Collage isn’t really a “reproductive health services” clinic at all.  It’s actually the “Life Choices Pregnancy Resources Center.”

[Executive Director Gay] Tillotson said Life Choices decided to convert to a medical clinic because every woman has a right to accurate information before making a decision about an unplanned pregnancy that could affect her physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Krieger said the ultrasounds can show women a heartbeat of their baby and whether the pregnancy is uterine and viable.

The ultrasound equipment, which totaled more than $100,000, was provided through donations from listeners of KROA Bridge Radio and the Knights of Columbus.

“When it came to purchasing the ultrasound equipment, God provided,” Tillotson said.

The ultrasound machine was added in July.

Life Choices, a nonprofit organization, staffs 30 volunteers and two paid positions.

Tillotson said 70 percent of donations to Life Choices come from individuals, with 20 percent coming from churches and the remainder coming from organizations.

The donations also helped to remodel their current office at 3000 Second Ave., Suite 100.

“They literally donated thousands and thousands … so girls could feel valued when they walked through the doors,” she said about the churches, businesses and individuals that donated goods or services to the remodel.

“They love being involved with something that makes a difference in someone’s life.”

Why yes, it sounds like they’ve got all of a woman’s needs covered.  No need for a Planned Parenthood clinic at all.