South San Francisco, CA June 24, 2022 Press Release
The Reproductive Rights Subcommittee of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, comprised of Supervisors Dave Pine and Warren Slocum, issued the following statements:
Said Pine: “Today’s Supreme Court decision effectively ends legally accessible abortions in half of the states across the country and will have profound impacts on the health and welfare of millions of women and families. In San Mateo County we have made specific and robust investments to support access to safe and legal abortions and all reproductive care.”
Said Slocum: “Our Board has expressed our unwavering support for women’s reproductive rights. We will protect them unequivocally and will work with our partners, especially Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, to find needed support for women here in San Mateo County and beyond.”
This month, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved the Women’s Reproductive Freedom and Healthcare Privacy Action Plan, establishing the Reproductive Rights Subcommittee, as well as the following specific actions: provide financial support for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte to deliver increased abortion care; create a buffer zone ordinance for the unincorporated areas of the County; develop an advocacy agenda. and develop an information campaign to let patients know that the San Mateo County Health System continues to offer reproductive services.
The Action Plan was developed in conjunction with Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (PPMM), which serves residents of Northern California including San Mateo County. PPMM has three clinics in San Mateo County that provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, behavioral health, and family medicine services. Together, these clinics serve about 13,000 San Mateo County residents a year.
The financial investment includes $1,000,000 allocated in two tranches including $549,312 to support the immediate purchase of technology and equipment by PPMM to allow for increased patient capacity at its clinics, where demand for services is expected to rise exponentially in light of the SCOTUS decision. The second tranche of funding, up to $450,688, would be held in reserve for use as needs emerge over the coming weeks and months.
To further ensure access to reproductive care, County staff is developing an ordinance to protect patients and employees from harassment, intimidation, and obstruction when accessing the PPMM clinic in unincorporated Redwood City.
In addition, a women’s reproductive freedom and healthcare privacy advocacy agenda is being developed in coordination with the Commission on the Status of Women, County Attorney’s Office, County staff and the Board subcommittee to develop a proposed advocacy agenda for consideration at the August 2, 2022 Board meeting.
Lastly, the County will lead an information campaign to let patients know that the San Mateo County Health System continues to offer reproductive services
Thank you, Supervisors, for taking a great stand and helping PP Mar Monte meet the needs of our County’s women and families.
Wonderful! More of OUR tax dollars going to fund Planned Parenthood! They receive MILLIONS in private donations almost quarterly to give women a “choice”: pay for an abortion or not! That is their idea of a “choice”! Do you hear ANY of these ” SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE” saying that they are going to allot funding for PRENATAL CARE AND POSTNATAL CARE should they want to KEEP the baby???
We should have OUR tax dollars used for helping girls and women in crisis through mental and monetary means! Aborting an innocent HUMAN BEING is NOT the answer, “Servants of the People”!