Planned Parenthood in Oregon is restructuring its advocacy and public policy arm to set the stage for expanding and bolstering reproductive health care access in the years to come.
Officials from the state’s two Planned Parenthood affiliates, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette and Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, said Tuesday they are planning a new advocacy organization with 10 to 20 staffers. The new organization will replace Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, which is the lobbying and public policy organization that advances the organization’s work.
The change coincides with record demand for abortion services. Planned Parenthood health centers throughout Oregon have seen a nearly 50% increase in demand since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The court’s decision didn’t restrict abortion access in Oregon, but allowed other states, including Idaho, to ban or restrict abortion access, prompting pregnant people to travel from out of state to seek care in Oregon…