Planned Parenthood in Bloomington-Normal Upgrades in Preparation for Health Care Reform

Moving to a New State-of-the-Art Facility this Spring

Bloomington, IL – Planned Parenthood of Illinois will be moving to a new state-of-the-art facility in Bloomington-Normal on and will begin providing care at the new location on April 22. The new health center is located at 1319 N. Veterans Parkway next to the Burger King and just 3.5 miles from Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ current location at 318 W. Washington Street.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ new Bloomington-Normal health center will allow Planned Parenthood of Illinois to provide more women, men, and teens in McLean County with top-quality preventive healthcare services as the Affordable Care Act goes into full effect this fall.

“Planned Parenthood currently provides essential healthcare services with compassion and without judgment to more than 2,500 women, men, and teens in the area each year,” said Carole Brite, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “As more people become insured under health care reform, it will become increasingly important for community providers like Planned Parenthood to be accessible and provide quality services efficiently.”

The new health center will feature plenty of free parking, an inviting waiting room with free wi-fi, modern exam rooms, and a convenient central location. The health center will also come equipped to support electronic health records (EHR), which Planned Parenthood of Illinois will implement this summer.

“Our new location will provide top quality medical services in a comfortable setting,” said Ginger Steinhausen, Bloomington Health Center Manager at Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “Our conversion to electronic health records will also allow us to access patient information quickly where and when it is most needed.”

100% of the services Planned Parenthood of Illinois provides in Bloomington-Normal are preventive, including: 

o Annual Physical Exams Including Pap Tests and Breast Exams 
o Evaluation and Management of Abnormal Pap Tests
o Men’s Sexual Health Exams Including Colon and Testicular Cancer Screenings and Urinary Tract Infection Testing and Treatment
o Comprehensive Birth Control Including IUDs and Implants
o Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)
o Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing and Treatment
o HIV Testing and Counseling
o Pregnancy Testing and Options Counseling
o HPV Vaccine
o Hepatitis A & B Vaccine
o Vasectomy Consultation (procedure done at the Champaign Planned Parenthood health center)
o Essure Consultation (Non-Surgical Permanent Sterilization for Women)

Last year alone Planned Parenthood of Illinois provided 802 breast exams, 769 Pap smears, administered 2,190 sexually transmitted infection tests, and dispensed 11,422 contraceptives, including condoms in Bloomington-Normal.

Bloomington-Normal is also home to one of Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ Teen Awareness Groups, a peer education program which works to replace fear, misinformation, and risky behavior with education, information and responsible decision making.

PPIL’s Bloomington-Normal TAG program reaches nearly 1,500 women, men, and teens through educational outreach and programs each year. Programming topics offered include: 

o Reproductive Healthcare
o Contraception
o Sexually Transmitted Infections
o HIV/AIDS
o Healthy Relationships
o Making Decisions About Sex
o Parent-Teen Communication
o Sexuality and Sexual Orientation
o Abstinence
o Additional Topics Tailored Upon Request

“Teens need accurate information about how to stay healthy and how to communicate with loved ones about health issues,” said James Haas, Community Educator at Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “When teens are equipped with this knowledge, they can make the decisions that are best for them and their families.”

Preventive reproductive healthcare services and comprehensive sex education are essential in a community in need of quality preventive healthcare and education. McLean County currently ranks in the top 25% for highest chlamydia, gonorrhea, and early syphilis rates among Illinois counties. McLean County ranks especially high for chlamydia – 16th out of 102 counties in Illinois.

For many in McLean County, Planned Parenthood of Illinois is their only healthcare provider and only access to quality preventive healthcare. The majority of Planned Parenthood’s patients in Bloomington-Normal live at or below the federal poverty level.

“Planned Parenthood of Illinois is dedicated to being here for Bloomington-Normal, no matter what,” said Brite. “We’re committed to continuously innovating and improving our care so that we can continue to be here for those who need us most.”

Planned Parenthood accepts most commercial insurances, Medicaid/Illinois Healthy Woman and has an affordable time of service fee. Planned Parenthood also offers WE CARE Packages, affordable cash discount packages. Visit ppil.org to learn about what services are recommended for you.

To make an appointment call 309-827-4014. To check on the date of the move visit ppil.org/Bloomington.

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Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) provides affordably-priced, high-quality reproductive health care services to women and families throughout Illinois. Through health care services, educational programs and advocacy efforts, PPIL works to ensure and protect the reproductive rights of each individual. For more information, visit www.ppil.org.