PPHP Supporters Rally at Capitol for Family Planning Funding on 1st Day of Legislative Session

(Hawthorne, NY) – Fifty leaders, staff, and volunteers from Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic (PPHP) rallied at the state Capitol today to urge support for family planning funding in the state’s 2011-12 budget.

They joined nearly 400 supporters from around the state who were there to discuss with their elected
officials the important preventive and primary care provided by some 250 family planning health centers around the state.

“Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic serves over 36,000 women, men, and teens each year. For many of our patients, this is the only health care they receive,” said Reina Schiffrin, President/CEO. “Our services are comprehensive including gynecological exams, cancer screenings, blood pressure screenings, birth control information and supplies, prenatal care, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy testing and options counseling, and comprehensive sex education for parents and teens.”

During their meetings, advocates impressed upon legislators the cost savings derived from New York’s investment in these valuable health care services, not only in the same budget cycle but also long term. “We emphasized to lawmakers that for every $1 New York spends on family planning, $4 in Medicaid costs is saved,” said Schiffrin. “Plus, for every Medicaid dollar New York spends on family planning, the federal government reimburses the state 90 cents.”

“We recognize the state’s financial crisis and plan to work with lawmakers to find budget solutions that will maintain funding for our core services that our patients rely on to remain healthy,” said Schiffrin. “When women remain healthy through preventive care and can plan their families, they have greater education and employment opportunities, which improves the well-being of their families.”

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Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, Inc (PPHP) is the 15th largest affiliate of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and operates 12 medical centers in Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties. In 2010, PPHP provided services to over 35,000 patients in nearly 70,000 visits. We conducted 1,900 education programs reaching over 35,000 youth and adults, and mobilized approximately 10,000 advocates to protect reproductive health care rights. PPHP has served the community for 78 years, and is dedicated to educating and empowering individuals to make responsible choices regarding their sexuality and sexual health. Planned Parenthood has done more to reduce the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy than any other health care provider or advocacy group. PPHP is headquartered in Hawthorne NY. For more information about PPHP services and programs, visit www.pphp.org. Find us on Facebook and MySpace, and follow us on Twitter.