Women's Health Centers Forced to Reduce Hours and Services

Shrewsbury, NJ-  As a direct result of the elimination of women’s health funding from the Fiscal Year 2010 state budget, Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey (PPCNJ) has been forced to reduce hours and services at four health centers.  PPCNJ provides basic reproductive health care services at six health centers in Shrewsbury, Freehold, Hazlet, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy and Spotswood. Last year, PPCNJ served close to 16,000 women and men and is estimating being able to serve at least 3,000 fewer patients in 2011. 

Patients are now waiting longer for preventative health care and some centers have seen an increase in pregnancy tests.  Phyllis Kinsler, President and CEO of PPCNJ says, “Reproductive health care is time sensitive- delays in birth control mean more unintended pregnancies and abortion; delays in pap tests and breast exams means later diagnoses of cancer; delays in treatment for sexually transmitted infections negatively impact both the woman and her pregnancy.”

Unfortunately, even more reductions are needed to make up for the loss of funding. In an effort to avoid further hours and service reduction, or the permanent closure of a health center, each of PPCNJ’s health centers will close for one week in the next two months. 

The Spotswood and New Brunswick health centers will be closed from February 28 to March 7.  At this time last year in Spotswood patients could make an appointment without any delay; today there is a two week wait.  In New Brunswick the wait has increased from two days to three weeks.

Since the 1970’s New Jersey has provided funding to health centers around the state to provide basic reproductive health care including cancer screenings, birth control, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and pap tests.  Last year, family planning agencies, including Planned Parenthood, provided these services to over 136,000 women and men.  Because of the elimination of funds, it is estimated that 40,000 fewer patients will be served statewide.

For over 75 years, Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey has provided comprehensive reproductive health care and education to women and their families in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties.