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California officials are giving Planned Parenthood $140 million to keep 109 clinics open and offset the financial strain from cuts imposed by Republicans in Washington, Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom announced.
Newsom said the move affirms the state’s continued commitment to abortion access for women in the Golden State amid efforts by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to shut down Planned Parenthood.
“California is a reproductive freedom state, and this latest investment continues to show our belief in protecting access to essential health care in times of distress,” Newsom said in a statement on Thursday. “Trump’s efforts to defund Planned Parenthood put all our communities at risk as people seek basic health care from these community providers.”
State lawmakers will also address the issue when the legislature reconvenes in January.
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California officials are giving Planned Parenthood $140 million to keep 109 clinics open. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
Planned Parenthood had announced it would eliminate primary care at clinics in Orange and San Bernardino counties starting in December. Five other clinics in the Bay Area, Santa Cruz and Central Valley, also shuttered in recent months over federal efforts to defund the organization.
Dr. Janet Jacobson, medical director of the Orange and San Bernardino counties clinics, told CalMatters the federal actions are “destroying our primary care program.”
“It’s inhumane to take away people’s health care,” Jacobson said. “Folks that have Medi-Cal should be able to see the provider of their choice for primary care.”
Planned Parenthood needs about $27 million a month to operate all its local facilities, Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, told CalMatters.
“The Planned Parenthood affiliates in California are grateful to Governor Newsom and our…
