Planned Parenthood will reopen its facility in New Orleans this week after almost a yearlong absence from Louisiana.
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast shut down its two health centers in Louisiana last year, citing “relentless political assaults.”
But an affiliate — Planned Parenthood Great Plains — recently announced plans to restart in-person care at the existing Planned Parenthood facility in New Orleans — at 4636 S Claiborne Ave — on Wednesday (Oct. 14). Telehealth began earlier this year.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) already provides services in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. When PPGP announced its plans in June, President Emily Wales said reopening in Louisiana hits close to home — literally.
“These are our neighbors across state lines,” she said. “We are already seeing patients who've had to flee Louisiana to access care at some of our health centers, especially in Kansas.
“We felt strongly that people need care in their own communities. They need access close to home.
During a tour of the building in New Orleans — which was purpose-built in 2016 as a Planned Parenthood building — Wales said the facility “meets requirements that were in effect for abortion facilities before Dobbs, which ended Roe and federal protections for abortion access.”
She pointed out labs, administrative offices and small rooms for patients and their loved ones to recover emotionally after receiving hard news.
Then, she stopped in front of a large room with high ceilings. Several curtains partitioned the room into small areas. Since the building was in the process of reopening, the room was filled with extra chairs, tables and medical equipment.
But it wasn’t always storage.
“This was initially designed as a recovery space for patients who had had procedural abortions and would be recovering from sedation or just need some time after their care,” Wales said, gesturing around the room. “We'll put this space to good use.”
A PPGP official pulled aside a curtain and pointed out where a recovery chair would have sat. She explained that patients would have been able to rest and recover from medical procedures with the curtain drawn.
“It's a sad thing, and I think it's a little bit heartbreaking in any state with an abortion ban to be in a space that was designed to ensure people have care here in their home state, that they don't have to leave their state to access what should be fundamentally protected care,” Wales said. “But for Louisiana right now, this space won't be able to do what it's intended to do, which is to offer abortion services.”
Later, Wales said they’re likely going to continue using the space for recovery — but for vasectomies and other small procedures.
Wales said the clinic will also provide contraception, cancer screenings and other preventive health services — but not abortion services.
In response to PPGP’s initial reopening announcement, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill emphasized in a statement that abortions remain illegal in Louisiana, “including any attempt by activists to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous and illegal pills through the mail or via ‘telehealth.’”
Despite the purpose-built room, Louisiana has a total abortion ban, and Planned Parenthood was never licensed to perform abortions in the state. However, it did help patients access out-of-state abortion care.
