Great need to expand access and reduce barriers to sexual and reproductive health care
St. Paul, MN — Lawmakers gaveled in the 2024 legislative session following a year of historic investment in sexual and reproductive health care. While certain politicians in Minnesota and in neighboring states have pushed an extreme agenda to ban essential health care, last year the historic pro-choice trifecta protected access to abortion and gender-affirming care.
Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) has seen a 25% increase in abortions in Minnesota and a nearly 100% increase in patients travelling from outside of its five-state region to get an abortion since Roe was overturned. In this new landscape, it is critical to expand access and reduce barriers to health care.
“Last year, Minnesota passed bold and historic protections for essential health care,” said Tim Stanley, executive director of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund. “Now we need to focus on expanding access and reducing barriers to accessing that health care. Health disparities persist in Minnesota, and we know there are policy solutions. We can live our Minnesota values by making sexual and reproductive health care more affordable.”
As it stands today, there are health inequities baked into the health care system. The maternal mortality rate is three times higher for Black women compared to white women. People living in rural communities have a much harder time accessing health care. And as abortion and gender-affirming care bans have been passed in neighboring states, people are displaced from accessing care in their own community. This hurts low income, rural, Black, Indigenous, and Brown communities the most.
“It’s imperative to expand the affordability of essential health care services,” said Stanley. “Minnesota can lead the way nationally to be a state where everyone can get the health care that is best for their body and future in their own community.”
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Founded in 1992, the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization. As the advocacy and electoral arm of PPMNS, we mobilize supporters of all parties to defend and increase access to family planning services and fact based, medically accurate sexuality education. We work to inspire and engage citizens to take up the cause of reproductive health and rights through education, electoral activity, grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy.
Visit us at www.plannedparenthoodadvocate.org
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