Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey Reaches Out to Local South Asian American Community

SHREWSBURY, NJ – Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey (PPCNJ) is reaching out to its service area’s South Asian population to encourage the community to take advantage of their comprehensive range of programs and services offered to women and families who live in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties.

“PPCNJ reaches more than 40,000 individuals annually with affordable family planning and education services in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties including a large number of individuals from the Latino and African American communities,” states PPCNJ’s President and CEO, Phyllis Kinsler.  “Yet, despite its large demographic in the region, the South Asian community has not been a large user of our services.  By conducting more outreach and awareness about PPCNJ and the services we provide, we hope to gain a greater understanding of the need that exists in the South Asian community so that we can better serve the entire central New Jersey community.”

PPCNJ’s dedicated staff members provide a wide range of comprehensive health care needs, including gynecological exams, including Pap smears; clinical breast exams and breast self exam instruction; pregnancy testing and counseling;  family planning services and counseling; pregnancy options counseling; testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections; mid-life health services; colposcopy, referrals for pre-natal care and adoption; medical and surgical abortion services; HIV risk assessment, counseling and referrals; emergency contraception; and employment and school physicals.

Its education programs, outreach and professional trainings explore topics such as contraceptive methods and pregnancy prevention; sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS; healthy relationships; body image and self esteem; sexual orientation; parent-child communication; and puberty and hygiene. 

Through direct outreach to the South Asian communities in its service area, PPCNJ hopes to increase awareness on its resources available to women, teens, families, and other medical and community service providers.

“As an Indian American woman and Board member of PPCNJ, my goal is to reach out to the local South Asian community to determine what the specific health needs of South Asian women and girls are,” said Gira Bose.  “We are currently in the process of creating a task force comprised of South Asian health professionals and community members that will help us improve our health care programs and also our advocacy efforts to protect the rights of women.  The more informed we are, the more effective we will be.”

Planned Parenthood of Central NJ (PPCNJ):   PPCNJ has been providing reproductive health care services to women and their families since 1935. Its six health centers are located in Freehold, Hazlet, Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, Shrewsbury, and Spotswood. Each year, approximately 15,000 women, adolescents and men are served in its health centers and its education team delivers programs and workshops to over 25,000 adolescents, young adults, parents and youth-serving professionals.

All PPCNJ services are confidential and fees are based on the clients’ ability to pay.  Health centers are located at:

800 West Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728, 732/431-1717
1 Bethany Road, Building 6, Suite 91, Hazlet, NJ 07730, 732/888-4900
10B Industrial Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, 732/246-2411
450 Market Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, 732/442-4499
69 East Newman Springs Road, Shrewsbury, NJ, 07702, 732/842-9300
12 Snowhill Street, Snowhill Plaza, Suite 3, Spotswood, NJ, 08884, 732/723-9192

For more information, please visit www.ppcnj.org

If you would like additional information, please contact: Phyllis Kinsler, Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey, at (732) 842-9300.