(WAND) - Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Illinois announced a partnership to increase abortion access.
The Waukegan PPIL Health Center opened in 2020, near the Wisconsin border, in anticipation of PPWI patients losing access to care.
Following the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has been forced to suspend abortion care.
Wisconsin clinicians, nurses and staff are traveling to the Waukegan Health Center to provide care and expand capacity at that health center as well as across Illinois through telehealth.
“Because abortion is safe and legal in Illinois, we are now an oasis for care, as millions of patients are stranded in a vast abortion desert, including Wisconsin residents,” said Jennifer Welch, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of
“At PPWI, we have anticipated this difficult moment for years and worked with our health care partners at PPIL and others to do what we can to protect and enhance access to safe, non-judgmental abortion care for patients traveling across state lines,” said Tanya Atkinson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. “Despite the devastating impact of Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban, we are grateful to the dedicated patient services team who are doing everything they can to meet the growing patient demand next door.”
Since the Supreme Court’s decision, Planned Parenthood reports PPWI’s and PPIL’s call volume has doubled and all abortion patients in Wisconsin are being referred out of state for care.
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