By Ilsa Minor

iminor@dailypress.net

MARQUETTE — The Upper Peninsula’s only abortion service provider will be closing its doors later this month, a move its parent organization says is a response to the changing political climate.

“The Trump administration and its anti-abortion allies have made clear their intention to defund Planned Parenthood and attack access to sexual and reproductive health care nationwide — so while these attacks are devastating, they are not a surprise,” said Paula Thornton Greear, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Michigan.

The Marquette Planned Parenthood location is one of three health centers across the state that will close permanently, effective April 30. The other two locations are in Jackson and Petosky. The last patient appointments will take place April 25.

In addition to the closures, PPMI will consolidate two health centers in Ann Arbor on May 5. PPMI plans to expand its Virtual Health Center to offer telehealth seven days a week, including morning and evening hours, to continue providing services like birth control, medication abortion, and gender-affirming care, PPMI said in a statement released Wednesday.

The reorganization will also lead to a 10% reduction in staffing. PPMI says the cuts will impact clinical, programmatic, and administrative teams and that the restructuring will “ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability in the face of increasing threats and challenges under a hostile presidential administration.”

Michigan’s Planned Parenthood affiliate was not among the nine affiliates across 21 states that were sent notices Monday, informing the regional Planned Parenthood units that their Title X family planning program funding was being withheld due to possible violations of President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Those affiliates were told their alleged violations included promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and serving undocumented immigrants.

The affected Planned Parenthood affiliates have 10 days to provide documents related to their policies on DEI and services for undocumented immigrants to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. After the documents are reviewed, HHS will inform the affiliate programs if their Title X grants have been terminated.

The Title X program has been in place since 1970 and aims to help low income communities access sexual and reproductive care. More than three-quarters of Planned Parenthood affiliates participate in the Title X program. Title X funds cannot be used to provide abortions.

Despite PPMI not being one of the affiliates at risk of losing Title X funding, Thornton Greear indicated the restructuring was part of a strategic move to protect services in Michigan.

“Our decision to restructure reflects months of strategic planning and careful financial analysis. These necessary changes strengthen PPMI’s ability to adapt quickly in a challenging political landscape. While implementing difficult decisions is never easy, they are essential to protect our long-term capacity to fulfill our mission and serve Michigan communities for generations to come,” she said.

Dr. Sarah Wallett, Chief Medical Operating Officer at PPMI, said the change would allow PPMI to remain flexible.

“As sexual and reproductive health care providers, we’ve faced wave after wave of challenges, from the first Trump administration to the historic overturn of Roe v. Wade, and we’ve continued to find ways to serve our patients,” said Wallett. “This evolution of our service model allows us to be flexible in how we weather the storms ahead, while still maintaining our commitment to provide care, no matter what. By expanding our virtual care services and focusing our resources more effectively, we can continue meeting patients’ needs wherever they are in Michigan, even as the health care environment becomes more restrictive.”

Information about PPMI’s services can be found online at https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-michigan.