After reports that Planned Parenthood will no longer provide abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy at its New York City location due to funding challenges, the New York State Catholic Conference is asking what has happened to the $35 million Governor Kathy Hochul allocated in 2022 to subsidize abortion clinics throughout the state.
The news of Planned Parenthood’s decision was first reported by the New York Times on August 7. According to the report, Planned Parenthood will also close four clinics across the state for the same reason, including its sole clinic on Staten Island.
Kristen Curran, the NYSCC director of government relations, said in an August 7 statement that the news of the scale back at Planned Parenthood’s Manhattan Health Center and closure of four other clinics is a “welcome relief.” However, she noted that taxpayers now deserve answers on the usage of Hochul’s allocation.
“Recently, Governor Hochul unilaterally allocated an astounding $35 million to subsidize abortion clinics throughout the state,” Curran said. “If Planned Parenthood is now saying it’s too expensive to provide safe care to women in its clinics, we must ask where exactly are these tens of millions of dollars going?”
The NYSCC represents the bishops of New York State in public policy matters.
Hochul announced the $35 million allocation in May, 2022. In the announcement, Hochul’s office said that the allocation would put $25 million to expand abortion provider capacity and ensure access for patients seeking abortion care in New York. The other $10 million was slated to go towards security grants to help ensure the safety of providers and patients.
Hochul touted the decision at the time as part of her commitment to “never stop fighting to make New York a safe harbor for all who need care and a blueprint for other states to follow.” Hochul’s office did not respond to a Crux request for comment on the Planned Parenthood changes.
Planned Parenthood’s Manhattan Health Center can longer afford the “deep sedation” required to perform abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, Wendy Start, the president of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York told the New York Times. Procedures after 20 weeks of pregnancy make up less than two percent of abortions performed at the clinic, the report also notes.
Abortion is legal in New York State through 24 weeks of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, abortion is permitted if the fetus is not viable, or the life, physical health, or mental health of the woman are at risk.
Curran also highlighted a portion of the report that more than half of Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid, calling the fact a “glaring failure by the State of New York.”
“This statistic represents a glaring failure by the State of New York, demonstrating that the horror of abortion disproportionately affects low-income women,” Curran said. “We pray that this shocking news is a wake-up call to our lawmakers. May they steer valuable state resources to those that truly need them and join us as we walk with women in need. Together, we can work to build a place where no mother is pressured to end her pregnancy because of difficult circumstances.”
