The Quickie: Kamala Harris Makes History as First Vice President to Tour a Planned Parenthood Health Center

Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: VP Harris tours a Planned Parenthood health center and abortion doulas help ease patients’ abortion journeys.

KAMALA HARRIS MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST VICE PRESIDENT TO TOUR A PLANNED PARENTHOOD HEALTH CENTER: Yesterday, Vice President Kamala Harris made history (once again) as the first sitting president or vice president to tour a Planned Parenthood health center. As part of her Fight for Reproductive Freedoms Tour, the Vice President visited a health center in Minnesota where she met with patients, providers, and health center staff. Planned Parenthood North Central States includes Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Minnesota health centers have stood in the gap for surrounding regions that have been impacted by abortion bans and restrictions, which have forced many patients to travel to the state to receive the care they need. Last year, Minnesota enshrined reproductive freedom into state law, guaranteeing access to abortion, contraception, maternity care, and fertility services. 

“We are beyond thrilled to have Vice President Harris at our health center to talk about reproductive health care and show what the status of abortion is like not only in our state, but in our five-state region,” said Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. “Despite the losses we have suffered and attacks we have endured, we are at a crossroads where we have the ability to reimagine and rebuild our health care system, so everyone regardless of their zip code can receive the essential care they so desperately need. In today’s landscape, care isn’t guaranteed even if you live in a state like Minnesota where it has been enshrined into state law. But we will never stop helping our patients break down the barriers that state governments have built.

Learn more from the AP’s coverage here.

 

AT SOME PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFFILIATES, ABORTION DOULAS ARE EASING PATIENTS’ ABORTION JOURNEYS: While doulas are most commonly known for supporting people through reproductive transitions like pregnancy and childbirth, there are many types of doulas including those who help folks through events like gender transition, miscarriage, and abortion care. 

Abortion doulas are trained to offer physical and emotional support before, during, and after an abortion. This can look different for everyone based on each individual’s needs. Support can include anything from answering questions about abortion, and addressing myths and misinformation, to physical and emotional support like offering guided meditations, a hand to hold, or listening to patients’ concerns. 

 

Planned Parenthood Arizona (PPAZ) launched its abortion doula program in October 2022 and now has about 20 active doulas who are trained yearly in trauma-informed care, health-privacy laws, breathing techniques, and abortion procedures and laws. The program offers patients a free, optional doula to provide compassionate support through procedural abortions, wellness exams, birth control insertions, or gender-affirming care at the affiliate. PPAZ aims to soon expand the program to include doulas for medication abortion services as well. 

The hostile legal landscape and stigma around reproductive health care in the U.S. has meant a growing need for emotional, informational, and logistical support throughout all stages of patients’ abortion journeys — from seeking care to preparing for it and after care. Abortion doulas can help fill that gap. 

Read more from News from the States.