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Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky announce alliance with west coast group

Posted at 6:10 PM, Feb 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-04 18:10:54-05

INDIANAPOLIS —Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky will enter into a strategic alliance with Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands, the organizations announced Friday.

Together, the Planned Parenthood organizations will operate 45 health centers combined across Indiana, Kentucky, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, and western Washington.

So what does this mean for the local Midwest Planned Parenthood centers?

"Our health centers will continue to operate as they are — and as they have been Services will not be interrupted," Andrew Everett, a spokesman with Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands, said. "We don’t anticipate this alliance will impact daily operations at our health centers."

The new alliance is aimed at reducing costs of health care in Indiana and Kentucky.

"This alliance will allow us to share expertise and best practices, streamline processes, integrate operational efficiencies, expand professional development opportunities for employees, and share resources in order to improve experiences for both patients and staff," Everett said.

In recent history, PPINK has faced struggles in obtaining un-restricted women's health. The new alliance aims at aiding the Midwest's efforts.

"PPGNHI brings a formidable legal and advocacy team which will only help strengthen PPINK and allow it to better defend itself against future legislative attacks," Everett said.

Christine Charbonneau will now operate as the CEO of PPINK. Previously the CEO was Christie Gillespie.

“PPINK has been a leader in the reproductive rights movement in a particularly challenging political environment in the Midwest under the leadership of former CEO Christie Gillespie," Charbonneau said. "We are grateful for Christie’s role in helping secure PPINK’s future and are excited to build upon that work as our organizations continue to fight for the mission of Planned Parenthood.”

In April of last year Planned Parenthood sued Indiana over a law that required medical providers who treat women for complications arising from abortions to report detailed patient information to the state.

By June, a federal judge ruled to temporarily block a portion of Indiana's newest abortion law.

In December the Supreme Court ruled against states attempting to block funding to Planned Parenthood.

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