The near total abortion ban has had terrible ramifications for our patients and staff. Since May, our Planned Parenthood has helped more than 500 patients navigate to other states to receive abortion care. Planned Parenthood health centers account for about 1/3 of providers in the state and many patients are "self-navigating" or being forced to give birth.
Our front line of defense is our Call Center. Meet Olivia, who fields phone calls day in and day out from terrified patients:
Olivia spends much of her day comforting and educating callers. As a call center representative at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, she is one of 11 representatives who think of themselves as the “first line of defense for patients.”
With the near total abortion ban now in effect in Florida, Olivia is hearing firsthand the impact of this healthcare disaster. “Some patients are angry, saying, ‘You’re telling me I have to keep this baby, what am I supposed to do now?’” And from others, she says the response is quiet. “That bothers me even more. They sound defeated.”
Olivia and her colleagues have received extensive training on how to provide trauma-informed care. “Our tone of voice is everything,” Olivia says. “We tell callers about our patient navigation program to help them find care out of state and we share the resources that are available. We are reassuring and let them know that we are here to help.”
Occasionally, a caller will threaten to harm themself.* All call center staff are trained in the appropriate reporting protocols for self-harm calls such as these. Olivia says it is heartbreaking, but she tries not to internalize her feelings. “I turn to my colleagues for help. We all work in one big room together, and I will turn around and say, ‘I just had a rough call.’ We are here to support each other.”
Most of the calls that come into the call center are not about abortion. Many patients turn to Planned Parenthood because their providers are booked out for a long time. Almost 60% of the 10,000 calls they receive each month are for STDs, birth control, IUD insertion, pap smears, and gender affirming care appointments which Planned Parenthood has begun offering again.
Olivia has two younger sisters, and she makes a point of educating them about the world today. She says, “Everything that I learn here, I make sure to tell them. I let them know about all the great services Planned Parenthood offers!”
*According to the CDC, in 2022, an estimated 13.2 million adults seriously thought about suicide. If someone you know is threatening to harm themselves, it’s crucial to act quickly and with care. Help is available 24/7 through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Tags: Abortion