Planned Parenthood North Central States Announces Health Center and Staffing Changes Amid Ongoing Threats to Providing Care

Faced with increasing costs and provider shortages, nonprofit focuses on securing access long term

St. Paul, Minnesota – Planned Parenthood North Central States announced today the decision to consolidate health centers and eliminate 36 positions across the region, including 9 current staff and 27 open positions. The decision comes as the organization faces challenges common among nonprofit health care organizations including provider shortages, increasing charitable care costs, lagging reimbursement rates that have not kept pace with inflation, and rising costs in a post-COVID environment, as well as threats from hostile states as a trusted abortion provider in a post-Roe landscape.

Planned Parenthood is also moving to consolidate some health centers while expanding abortion access and expanding the space and footprint of some health centers. In the coming year, the Woodbury, MN health center will consolidate into the Rice Street Health Center in Saint Paul, and the Urbandale/West Health Center in Iowa will consolidate into the Susan Knapp health center when it’s expanded in Des Moines.

While the number of Planned Parenthood health centers will decrease, through investments and shifts across the region, the affiliate will increase the number of patients that can be seen both onsite and through virtual care.

• The Vandalia health center in Saint Paul, Minnesota will be expanding abortion care when family planning moves to Rice Street this year. This will increase the number of abortion appointment options and the number of patients that can be seen during the 6 days per week it is open.
• The Omaha, Nebraska health center has begun construction to be completed this year in or around May. Once complete, the health center will expand abortion access in the state to 3-4 days per week and increase access to family planning. The health center will increase from four to twelve exam rooms.
• The Susan Knapp health center in Des Moines, Iowa will be relocating and expanding later in the year to expand abortion appointments to 3-4 days per week.

Ruth Richardson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States:

“As the volatility in the health care landscape continues and the cost of providing care climbs, we have a duty to continually change and adapt so that we can continue to meet the essential needs of our patients and community. We are so grateful for the dedication demonstrated by each of our staff to advancing sexual and reproductive health care for all—this decision was not easy. Planned Parenthood is focused on creating a footprint that is sustainable long term, with reliable access to both medication and procedural abortion in every state where it is legal.”

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Planned Parenthood North Central States and its subsidiary organizations provide, promote, and protect reproductive and sexual health through high quality care, education and advocacy. A member of America’s most trusted reproductive health care provider, our affiliate is proud to support and operate 25 health centers across our five-state region (Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota).  Each year, we provide health care to nearly 100,000 people and health education to more than 50,000 people in our region.