WEB PAGE.
>>> PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF
WISCONSIN SUSPENDED ITS ABORTION
SERVICES IMMEDIATELY UPON THE
SUPREME COURT DECISION
OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE.
THE PROVIDER HAS PATIENT
NAVIGATORS TO HELP PEOPLE FIND
OUT-OF-STATE OPTIONS, LIKE THOSE
ACROSS THE BORDER IN ILLINOIS,
WHERE ABORTION REMAINS LEGAL.
WE ECONOMIC IN WITH JULIE UHAL
OF PRIND OF ILLINOIS WHO
MANAGE -- PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF
ILLINOIS WHO MANAGES ITS
PROGRAM.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> VERY FOR HAVING ME ON TODAY.
>> WHAT KIND OF INFLUX HAS
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF ILLINOIS
SEEN FROM BOARDING STATES LIKE
WISCONSIN?
>> THANKS FOR ASKING THAT.
WE'RE PREPARING FOR THIS MOMENT
FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
AND PROJECTIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT
WE'RE ANTICIPATING SEEING UP TO
20 TO 30,000 ADDITIONAL PATIENTS
FROM OTHER STATES.
IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME TO SEE
EXACT NUMBERS AND TRENDS.
IT'S ONLY BEEN A WEEK.
FEELS LIKE FIVE YEARS SINCE THE
DECISION CAME DOWN.
BUT I CAN SURE THAT OUR CALL
VOLUME DOUBLED ON FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY, INCLUDING FROM
WISCONSIN PATIENTS WHO LIKE YOU
SAID MAY HAVE BEEN AT THE CLINIC
FOR AN APPOINTMENT LAST FRIDAY
AND WERE FORCED TO RESCHEDULE
THAT AND IT CREATED A LOT OF
CHAOS AND CONFUSION.
>> INDEED.
YOU'RE SECURING ACCESS FOR
EVERYONE OR SAFE PROGRAM.
DID YOU STAND THIS UP JUST FOR
THIS EVENTUALITY OR HAS IT BEEN
LONG STANDING?
>> IT WAS FOR THIS EVENTUALITY.
WE'VE SEEN THE WRITING ON THE
WALLS FOR YEARS NOW, KNOWING
THAT YOU KNOW, FAR RIGHT
CONSERVATIVES HAVE BEEN PLANNING
TO OVERTURN ABORTION ACCESS IN
THIS COUNTRY.
SO THE PROGRAM OFFICIALLY
STARTED IN 2019.
>> SO PLANNED PARENTHOOD HAS
PATIENT NAVIGATORS TO HELP WITH
OUT-OF-STATE ABORTION CARE.
HOW DOES THAT WORK EXACTLY?
>> SO A PATIENT NAVIGATOR IS
KIND OF LIKE A CASE MANAGER,
KIND OF LIKE THE TRAVEL AGENT.
AND THEIR JOB IS SPECIFICALLY TO
WORK WITH PATIENTS WHO FACE
LOGISTICAL BARRIERS TO ACCESS
ABORTION CARE.
AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT'S
GOING TO BECOME MORE COMPLICATED
AND DIFFICULT AS THEY'RE FORCED
TO TRAVEL FURTHER.
IT GENDS PATIENT BY PATIENT WHAT
SORT OF ASSISTANCE THEY NEED.
SOMETIMES IT'S SUBSIDY,
SOMETIMES IT'S HOTEL, CHILD
CARE, FOOD VOUCHERS AND GOOD
VOUCHER.
WE TRY TO ASSIST ANY OF THOSE
NEEDS THEY MIGHT BE FACING.
>> I READ THAT ANTIABORTION
GROUPS ARE DRAFTING MODEL
LEGISLATION TO ALLOW PRIVATE
CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO SUE FOR
ANYONE TERMINATING A PREGNANCY
OUT OF STATE.
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
>> I'M DISAPPOINTED BUT NOT
SURPRISED.
I THINK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
TESTING EVERY OUTLET THEY CAN IN
ORDER TO CRIMINALIZE FOLKS FOR
ACCESSING THAT HEALTHCARE THAT
THEY NEED.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
STOP AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO
HELPING PEOPLE ACCESS THAT CARE
HOWEVER WE CAN.
>> HOW IS SAFETY ENSURED FOR
WOMEN WHO MIGHT TRAVEL FROM
THEIR HOME STATES FOR AN
ABORTION PROCEDURE?
>> SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT ABORTION IS SAFE AND
EFFECTIVE.
IT IS CERTAINLY SAFER THAN
PREGNANCY OR CHILDBIRTH IS.
THE MEDICATION ABORTION PILL
SPECIFICALLY HAS A LOWER RATE OF
ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS THAN
TYLENOL DOES.
ANY SAFETY CONCERNS COME FROM
THE VERY VULNERABLE SITUATIONS,
PEOPLE WILL BE PUT IN WHEN
THEY'RE FACING CRIMINALIZATION
TO CROSS STATE LINES FOR
HEALTHCARE, BUT WE TAKE EVERY
STEP THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO
EDUCATE OUR PATIENTS ABOUT THOSE
RISKS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
CAN THE SHAFT AND --
CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY IS
PROTECTED.
>> IF SOMEONE CAME FROM
WISCONSIN AND HAD THEIR
PREGNANCY TERMINATED, DO THEY
STAY IN PLACE FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME TO BE MONITORED -- YOU'RE
SAYING IT'S EXTREMELY SAFE,
RIGHT.
BUT IS THERE KIND OF A PERIOD OF
TIME WHERE THEY STAY IN PLACE IN
ILLINOIS?
>> DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY'RE
SEEKING MEDICATION OR INCLINIC
ABORTION, YEAH, THEY'LL BE AT
THE CLINIC TO BE MONITORED FOR
ANY IMMEDIATE HEALTH CONCERNS
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
BUT OTHERWISE, OUR -- PERSON
FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM IS ALWAYS
REACHABLE BY PHONE OR ONLINE.
>> IS YOUR CLINIC HIRING PEOPLE
TO ASSIST WITH THIS INNUX OF
PATIENTS?
>> I CAN'T SHARE ANY SPECIFICS
ABOUT OPERATIONAL, BUT THIS
RESPONSE TO THIS HEALTH CRISIS
IS GOING TO BE A MARATHON, NOT A
SPRINT.
SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY
WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AROUND
THE MIDWEST REGION TO ENSURE
THAT PATIENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE
CARE THEY NEED NO MEAT WHERE
THEY'RE COMING FROM -- NO MATTER
WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM I AND
THERE WILL BE MORE.
>> IS IT ACCURATE THAT THERE'S A
PLANNED PARENTHOOD JUST ACROSS
THE BORDER IN SOUTH BELOIT,
ILLINOIS?
>> I'M NOT FAMILIAR -- IF THERE
IS, IT'S NOT A PBIL CLINIC.
OUR CLINIC CLOSEST TO THE
WISCONSIN BORDER IS IN WAUKEGAN.
>> JULIE FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD
OF ILLINOIS, THANKS SO MUCH.