Insider News April 2021
In this issue:
- President & CEO Message
- COVID-19 Distribution at PPHP
- Our New Rochelle Health Center Has Moved
- Training Available for Parents
- Youth Lobby Day is April 22
- Destigmatizing Abortion Workshop
- Help Repeal the Title X Gag Rule
- Join Us for Suffolk Supports PPHP
- In Case You Missed It
- How You Can Help
Dear Friends,
I am excited to share with you that PPHP began administering the COVID-19 vaccine last month. You can read more about this below but everyone here is excited and happy to working towards a solution to this pandemic.
Did you know this month is STI Awareness Month? As a leading provider of sexual and reproductive health care, we know 1 in 5 people will have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in their lifetime. During the COVID-19 pandemic, STI care has taken a back seat as infection rates have continued to rise. Since the most common STIs do not have any symptoms, the only way to know your status is through testing.
All 10 of our health centers offer STI testing that is quick and easy. Getting an STI test is about knowing what is happening in your body, just like a blood pressure test. All STIs are treatable and many are curable. Last year, we administered nearly 69,000 STI tests to patients. If you would like more information about STIs and getting tested, visit www.pphp.org
We will be hosting our annual Suffolk Supports PPHP event on June 23 and I hope you will be able to join us, virtually. Information about our honorees and sponsorship opportunities are detailed below and at www.pphp.org/SuffolkSupports2021.
Thank you for continuing to support PPHP and our health care services, education programs, and advocacy efforts. Your commitment to our work is greatly appreciated by our patients, program participants, and staff.
I encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to stay up-to-date on what is happening at PPHP and issues related to sexual and reproductive health care.
In solidarity,
Vince Russell
President & CEO
COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution at PPHP
As part of our continued commitment to meet the health care needs of our communities, we began offering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at our White Plains and Smithtown health centers on March 31. The response was overwhelming and our appointments quickly filled up.
We administered more than 400 doses of the vaccine to both new and existing patients. One of our patients, perhaps the oldest patient ever at PPHP, was a 97-year-old woman accompanied by her family members. Grateful patients said this was a “shot of hope,” the “shot of freedom,” and that the process was “seamless.”
This program has been an agency-wide effort involving Patient Services, Education & Training, and Public Affairs team members. Everyone is excited to be part of the solution to this public health crisis.
We are following the FDA and CDC guidelines and pausing distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. While it may seem scary, this pause is a sign that the process is working and that the FDA and CDC are doing their jobs. At the first sign of a safety concern the FDA and CDC acted immediately to pause distribution and investigate the situation. It’s possible that these instances are unrelated to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but the recommendation stems from an abundance of caution to ensure people are being kept safe and healthy until we know more.
Right now these events are incredibly rare, and we don’t know what caused them. We will provide the most up-to-date information and the resources you need to make decisions about your own body and live the life you want. You can trust that we will never let up on our commitment to make sure you have the information and essential care you need.
Our commitment to your health and safety is stronger than ever as we combat this pandemic together. Our patients are our priority. We will always provide medically accurate information and science-backed care for you and your loved ones when it comes to protecting your sexual and reproductive health or against illnesses like COVID-19.
Our New Rochelle Health Center Has Moved
Our new New Rochelle health center opened on March 30 and we began seeing patients in the custom-built, state-of-the-art facility. The health center is now located at 150 Lockwood Avenue, Suite LL-1, about one mile from our previous location.
The new health center is nearly 5,200 square feet and has been built to best meet the needs of our patients and team members. It has six exams rooms and a larger waiting room to make patients more comfortable. The feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive.
We have been providing sexual and reproductive health care in New Rochelle since the 1930s and this new health center will ensure we are able to continue providing the high-quality care the community has come to expect from PPHP.
Trainings Available for Parents
Our Education and Training team is offering a number of programs for parents over the next several weeks and into the summer months. These programs cover many different topics adults will find helpful when talking with their children about sex.
Our Suffolk County PREP team launched a series of virtual sex education parent workshops beginning on April 8 which covered consent. The next workshops will be held on April 22 covering healthy relationships and May 13 covering contraception. If you would like to attend a workshop, please register at bit.ly/PREPParentSeries or contact Lareicha Hunter at [email protected] for questions.
Additionally, we have English and Spanish sex education parent workshops with Putnam Valley Library once a month throughout on April 22, May 20, June 16, July 22, and August 19, covering healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, contraception, consent, and tips for “the talk”. If you would like to sign up to attend these programs, please email Aimee Frier at [email protected].
Our General Education team is also hosting a series of parent sex education workshops in partnership with Riverside High School in Yonkers. Workshops which took place in both English and Spanish on April 6 covered sex, tech, and media, and April 14 covered consent. Upcoming sessions are being held on April 21 and April 28 contraception and anatomy and physiology. Please note, this event is for Riverside High Schools parents only. For questions, please contact Aimee Frier at [email protected].
If you are interested in learning more about our education and training programs for parents, please visit www.pphp.org.
Calling all young people! Please join us on Thursday, April 22 for our annual Youth Lobby Day, a day specifically for young people to use their voices about the issues important to them.
This year, Youth Lobby Day will focus on sex education. We are asking New York State legislators to pass legislation ensuring all New Yorkers have comprehensive, medically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive sex education.
This year’s event is being held virtually which gives you more flexibility to attend meetings around your schedule. Please register today!
Destigmatizing Abortion Workshop
On Thursday, April 22, Lauren La Magna, Public Affairs Manager, and Deena Hadhoud, Public Affairs Coordinator, will present a workshop on destigmatizing abortion as part of the Women’s Diversity Network Virtual Diversity Summit. Abortion stigma, like other reproductive stigmas, impact our daily lives, whether we notice it or not. All of us, whether intentional or not, have contributed to reproductive and abortion stigma. This workshop will discuss how you can deconstruct abortion stigma in your life and community.
As a cohost of this year’s Summit, I encourage you to explore the other discussions and workshops including: Cultural Tensions During the Pandemic, How to Be More Diverse and Inclusive, Channel Your Inner Boss, Financial Planning, and more. The Summit runs from April 19 through April 24 and all sessions are being held virtually.
For more information or to register, visit https://www.womensdiversitynetwork.org/diversity-summit-2021.
Help Repeal the Title X Gag Rule
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released proposed regulations to end the Title X gag rule. Since 2019, former President Trump’s gag rule has undermined the Title X program and denied people across the country access to affordable reproductive health care, such as birth control and life-saving cancer screenings, through the program. The proposed regulations released on April 14, when finalized, will end the Title X gag rule and make other modifications to strengthen the program and better ensure access to equitable, affordable, client-centered, quality health care services for patients under Title X. A 30-day comment period began on April 15 and allows the public to underline the harm the gag rule has wrought and emphasize why it must be ended as swiftly as possible.
We need to make sure the Biden-Harris administration knows, on the record, that patients, providers, and the public want and need relief from the gag rule — for the sake of access and what’s right. Be sure to add your comments today!
Join Us for Suffolk Supports PPHP
You’re invited to our Suffolk Supports PPHP virtual event being held on Wednesday, June 23 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. This year we are honoring Dorothy Lichtenstein with the Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Impact Award, and Dr. Harvard Lyman with the Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Legacy Award.
PIX 11’s Emmy Award-winning newscaster Kirstin Cole is joining us again to emcee the evening and DJ Twilo will provide musical entertainment, and the evening will conclude with a panel discussion from PPHP team members.
Sponsorship packages, journal advertisements, and tickets are on sale now at www.pphp.org/SuffolkSupports2021. This is going to be a great evening you won’t want to miss.
Healio News: US reports record number of STDs for 6th straight year
CNN: FDA says medication abortion drug can be distributed by mail during pandemic
Ohio Capital Journal: Judge Blocks Ohio Telemedicine Abortion Ban, Marking Second Win for Clinics
You can continue to make Care. No Matter What. possible!
A monthly gift to PPHP ensures security for patients in your local communities. Consider joining our Monthly Giving Program today at www.pphp.org/donatetoday.
Double your impact! Does your employer have a matching gift program? Check with your Human Resources Department to find out. For questions, contact the Development Department at [email protected].
Committed to safeguarding the future of reproductive health care? Consider leaving a legacy gift to PPHP in your will. Please contact the Development Department at [email protected].
Do you have a little bit of time to get more involved? Visit www.pphp.org for ways you can help.