Reproductive health care can be a hot button issue for many, but Planned Parenthood in Ankeny deals with that issue every day.
The main goal for Planned Parenthood is to educate the community. Planned Parenthood offers mothers and mothers-to-be options.
On the company’s website their mission statement is:
“Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual’s income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence. We believe that respect and value for diversity in all aspects of our organization are essential to our well-being. We believe that reproductive self-determination must be voluntary and preserve the individual’s right to privacy. We further believe that such self-determination will contribute to an enhancement of the quality of life and strong family relationships.”
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s mission statement is:
“To be a leader in a providing accessible reproductive health care, education and advocacy, responsive to the needs and rights of families and individuals.”
Each Planned Parenthood affiliate is allowed to have its own mission statement.
A total of 64,095 patients across four states received services provided from Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. The total number are not all from abortions. Planned Parenthood provides other services such as birth control, HIV testing, LGBT services, men’s health care, morning-after pill, STI testing and services and woman’s health care.
Last year, their revenue was $27,480,667 and their expenses were $31,811,263. A majority of their patients were ages 18-24. The two largest services that Planned Parenthood provided were contraception encounters and STI test. Abortions only accounted for 2 percent.
Although abortions only make up a small number of the organization’s services, they often are under political pressure. A representative from Planned Parenthood said that some centers do not experience protesters and others do, it is just a mater of location
Last year, the company provided 3,415 programs and training to 56,546 residents in Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
In Iowa, the program gained 3,135 new supporters.
In 2012 Planned Parenthood supporters went to state capitals to inform legislators about their views. About 130 supporters gathered in Iowa. They visited 62 lawmakers and sent out 391 emails to lawmakers.
Planned Parenthood Action Network, which is different from Planned Parenthood, sent out seven emails last year. From those seven emails 2,443 people took action and 32,149 emails were sent to Iowa lawmakers.
The network was able to defeat an amendment to the Health and Human Services Appropriations Budget that would have eliminated access to family planning services. The lobbyist helped create a state appropriation of $500,000 to offset the cost of cervical cancer prevention and detection for low income residents.
To combat the rising cost of health care services Planned Parenthood of Heartland raised more than 9 million dollars. Their goal was $11.5 million.
The organization completed some major renovations. They completed a project to acquire a new phone system, purchase upgraded computer hardware and introduce software that tracks legal contracts and obligations.
Based on their beliefs, their mission is:
• To provide extensive reproductive and additional health care services in settings which maintain and protect the privacy and rights of each individual.
• To promote public policies which guarantee birth control rights and ensure access to such services.
• To promote educational programs which enhance understanding of human sexuality.
• To promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care.
Staff writer Matthew Shepard may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 425, or at mshepard@newtondailynews.com.