Dubuque Planned Parenthood to close

[47of74]

The Planned Parenthood office in Dubuque is closing.

The closure of a Dubuque Planned Parenthood facility predominantly will hurt women with limited financial means, according to a former member of the organization’s board of directors.

Ann Straley said the decision, announced today, represents a “drop in service to women who need us, who need those services” – particularly free or reduced-cost services.

The clinic has offered cancer screenings, exams, family planning services and STI testing and treatment. Telemedicine abortions also have been offered in Dubuque, and will continue to be available until the sale of the organization’s building at 3365 Hillcrest Road.

But once the clinic is gone, the nearest Planned Parenthood location is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

And the reich to life folks are gloating away over that. Ugh.

[CoffeeCat]

1. Wow, that is terrible!

Cedar Rapids is two hours away.

Dubuque is extremely Catholic. There is a very large Catholic stronghold here. Most Democrats and Republicans there are Catholic. Very conservative, small city of about 55,000.

So sad to hear this news.

[47of74]

2. Yeah I know.

I hope impacted women can turn to other resources but I have my doubts how well it would all work out. We have some other resources in the community that provide some of the services PP does now. Hillcrest provides checking and treatment for STD, HIV testing, birth control, reproductive health education, and pregnancy testing and counseling. But if termination is needed they'll have to travel a couple hours - and if being a couple miles away on the west end was hard for some women you can well imagine how much more difficult it would be when its 70 miles away.

And I hope these reich wing pigs who are celebrating in the comments section don't get it in their heads to start harassing other providers here in town.

[progressoid]

3. Damn, I didn't know this many had been closed in Iowa.

In 2014, the agency closed Iowa clinics in Red Oak and Creston, citing “a shifting need for services.” Planned Parenthood, which is Iowa’s largest provider of abortions, also previously closed similar clinics in Ankeny, Fort Dodge, Fort Madison, Knoxville, Newton, Mount Pleasant Storm Lake, Spencer and Washington.