Planned Parenthood Returning To El Paso And West Texas
Planned Parenthood of El Paso closed back in 2009 but it looks like the controversial women's health center is coming back to the region. Texas has had a long battle with Planned Parenthood over the controversial clinic's presence in the Lone Star State. Planned Parenthood is a facility known for assisting sexually active persons with birth control, abortion, emergency contraceptives, and pregnancy. While these above-mentioned subjects usually grab the headlines and portray the health clinic negatively, Planned Parenthoods also assist with cancer screenings, women's wellness exams, STI screenings, health wellness, as well as information on health and wellness, sex and relationships, and sexual orientation and gender. Many women have come forward to explain how these establishments have helped with their feminine issues, and there are many benefits having one of their clinics in your community. From ovarian cysts, cystic acne, irregular periods, intense menstrual cramps and more.
According to Texas Monthly, Planned Parenthood is planning to open the Planned Parenthood of El Paso once again. The facility has been closed for almost ten years and El Paso is the largest city in the country with no Planned Parenthood presence. Another Planned Parenthood location is in the works for West Texas for 2019 but that second location hasn't been announced yet. The CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas says that the new Planned Parenthood locations are being funded by more than 10 million dollars in contributions by two donors who asked to not be named. Four million dollars is still needed and Planned Parenthood is working to raise these funds for the facilities. Initially, Planned Parenthood will be operating from the Reproductive Services facility in central El Paso.
El Paso’s Catholic bishop, Mark J. Seitz, says he is "very disappointed" with Planned Parenthood's decision to reopen in the Sun City:
“With their presence in our border region, our children in the womb will be facing a new and menacing threat to their existence and expectant mothers and fathers will be more likely to make a choice that they will regret for the remainder of their lives. In El Paso, women’s comprehensive health needs are better served by our existing community health centers,”
Despite the church's objections, Lambrecht believes the social climate in the city will be more welcoming to the women's health center returning to the city,
“El Paso County is the only county in the 100 most populous counties for women aged 18 to 24 in the United States without a Planned Parenthood health center."