A government official in Seattle is praising a new public-private partnership that will see the county outsource its family planning services to a Planned Parenthood abortion facility – saying the arrangement will help unborn babies.
King County, Washington – which includes Seattle – has arranged for Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest (PPGNW) to assume the family planning operations at the Public Health Center at Greenbridge, which is currently run by the county Public Health Department.
“I want to thank Mayor [Ed] Murray and our partners at Planned Parenthood for helping us ensure that children are born healthy and able to reach their full potential,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said at a press conference on September 15.
The nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood performed 327,166 abortions and received $540.6 million in U.S. taxpayer funding in 2012.
As part of the arrangement, Planned Parenthood will move its abortion facility, the West Seattle Health Center, into the government building just over a mile away at 9942 8th Avenue SW in Seattle. Its website notes this location is “just down the street from the YWCA and the Boys & Girls Club.”
It appears Planned Parenthood will expand the office's “family planning services,” which include counseling and referrals for abortion, to performing abortions on government premises.
“Our understanding is that Planned Parenthood will be providing the same services at the new location as the old one,” James Apa, communications manager for Public Health, told LifeSiteNews.
The West Seattle Health Center performs medication abortions at its office. However, Apa asked LifeSiteNews to “contact Planned Parenthood directly for more information.”
Sandra Perez Rhyneer, director of marketing and communications at PPGNW, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
However, the CEO of the Planned Parenthood affiliate, Chris Charbonneau, said in a statement that her chapter is “a natural fit” to “ensure continuity of care” to pregnant women.
Beginning January 1, Planned Parenthood will operate only its family planning operations, while the Public Health Department continues to provide Women, Infant and Children (WIC) and Maternity Support services. Maternity Support Services helps at-risk mothers with substance abuse, to quit smoking, or maintain proper nutrition and reduce the risk of low birth weight.
Murray allocated $400,000 for this public health facility. An official in the King County Executive Office told LifeSiteNews that he did not know how much of that money would be allocated to Planned Parenthood instead of WIC or MSS.
Government funding cuts in family planning required the county to partner with Planned Parenthood, officials say.
After it takes over Greenbridge, Planned Parenthood will offer adoption referrals. According to its most recent annual report, Planned Parenthood performs 149 abortions for every adoption referral.
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The location also offers a “teen clinic,” providing anyone under the age of 21 with free condoms, the morning after pill, and STD testing. “We welcome straight, gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer, and questioning teens. We do not judge you based on who you have sex with,” its website states.
Contact:
King County Public Health Department
Online Contact Form
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 206-296-4600 (TTY Relay: 711) or toll-free: 1-800-325-6165
