Planned Parenthood of Illinois Held a Ribbon Cutting For Its New Carbondale Health Center
For Immediate Release: Jan. 17, 2024 (Updated: Jan. 17, 2024, 9:24 p.m.)
Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Community Leaders and Local Partners attended the event on Monday, January 8
CARBONDALE, IL - Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) held a ribbon cutting at its new Carbondale Health Center, 200 N. Emerald Ln., today in southern Illinois. The new health center expands access to reproductive health care services for both Illinois and out-of-state patients. The state-of-the-art health center has four education rooms, four procedure rooms, three exam/ ultrasound rooms, a kids playroom, a conference room, and administrative space.
“Today is a great day in the continued fight to expand reproductive and sexual health care access in the Carbondale community, in southern Illinois and for people forced to flee from their home state for care,” said Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. “Opening the Carbondale Health Center is part of our mission to ensure all people have equitable access to the health care they need and deserve including gender-affirming care, birth control options, STI testing and treatment and abortion care. We are proud to be an active partner in our patients’ reproductive health care journey.”
The Carbondale Health Center is strategically located in southern Illinois and easily accessible for out-of-state patients. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, PPIL has experienced a 54% increase in overall abortion care patients and has seen patients traveling from 40 different states.
“I am proud to join Planned Parenthood of Illinois for the opening of this state-of-the-art health center in southern Illinois,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “Planned Parenthood has always stepped up to welcome all patients, no matter their address. The location of this facility is essential to meeting the needs of Illinois patients and provides another access point to patients who have been forced to leave their home states to receive health care.”
PPIL’s new Carbondale Health Center offers comprehensive reproductive health care services such as cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing and treatment, gender-affirming health care, medication, and in-clinic abortion.
“As a Birth Doula I develop a long-lasting relationship with my clients who, after years, still reach out to me for recommendations on services in the area,” said Chastity Mays, Hathor Doula Services owner. “I will now be able to refer them to Planned Parenthood of Illinois for reproductive health and preventative services, pregnancy testing, birth control, and the many other valuable services that PPIL offers the southern Illinois region.”
“Carbondale needs Planned Parenthood of Illinois,” said Carrie Vine, Executive Director Rainbow Cafe. “And this is not just for Carbondale, but for the transwoman who lives in Nashville that needs HRT. This is for the transman who needs a trauma informed, life saving pap smear that is having to drive up from the panhandle of Florida. This is for the non-binary person who needs an abortion coming from Texas.”
For more information or to make an appointment visit ppil.org or call 877-200-PPIL.
# # #
Media Contact
Mary Jane Maharry