OLYMPIA — State lawmakers allocated $21 million for safety net abortion providers to cover the costs of care, increase their workforce and enhance security.
Planned Parenthood is one of these safety net providers, serving uninsured and underinsured patients. In a press release, state Planned Parenthood leaders hailed the money as the “largest investment in abortion services in recent memory.”
Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, and vice chair of the Ways and Means committee, said Democrats in both the Senate and House supported the money.
“It was definitely a priority for us as Democrats to make sure we supported abortion providers in our state, to make sure access remains for anyone in our state who needs it,” Robinson said Friday.
Planned Parenthood provides care for patients in Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville and around the state. Courtney Normand, state director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, celebrated the budget as vital to continued care delivery in the state.
“So often, patients come to us and there just isn’t enough reimbursement to cover their care,” Normand said. “We’re really struggling to even meet the cost here, as nonprofits.”
The two budgets combined add up to $6 million in grants for care, and another nearly $5.8 million to cover patients coming to Washington from out of state.
Another $8.5 million is earmarked for workforce investments, to help safety net abortion providers across the state retain and recruit staff. They have a 25% vacancy rate in positions that treat and interact with patients, Normand said.
“Just like any other health care providers in the health care field today, we’re facing huge workforce shortages,” Normand said, as they compete with big hospitals that offer tens of thousands of dollars in signing bonuses. The state money for retention or signing bonuses won’t put them “at the top of the pack,” but it will help them keep up a bit, Normand said.
And some other money in the budget will help with needed security upgrades, as abortion providers have dealt with minor to severe vandalism, theft, physical assaults and many threats. One facility needs a security camera upgrade. Normand declined to go into detail about security measures for the sake of safety, but flagged that other health care providers do not deal with the same fear of being fire-bombed, for example.
Normand said Planned Parenthood and other advocates felt gratitude for both the bills and budget passed this legislative session.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have communities that speak out,” Normand said, “as well as elected leaders who share those values and fight really hard to protect everyone’s rights.”
Joy Borkholder: 425-339-3430; joy.borkholder@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jlbinvestigates.
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