LANSING, Mich. – Planned Parenthood of Michigan (PPMI) has announced it will permanently close three of its clinics across the state in response to cuts in federal funding. The closures will affect the Jackson, Petoskey, and Marquette locations, with the final appointments scheduled for April 25. These closures are set to take effect on April 30, marking a significant shift in the organization’s operations.
In a statement, Paula Thornton Greear, president and CEO of PPMI, emphasized that the decision to close these clinics was part of a larger restructuring effort aimed at strengthening the organization’s ability to adapt to a challenging political and financial landscape. She explained, “Our decision to restructure reflects months of strategic planning and careful financial analysis. These necessary changes strengthen PPMI’s ability to adapt quickly.”
As part of the restructuring, PPMI will also consolidate two of its health centers in Ann Arbor by May 5, and cut staffing by 10% across clinical, programming, and administrative teams. Greear described these changes as difficult but necessary to protect the long-term capacity of the organization. “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.
Despite the closures, PPMI is focusing on expanding its Virtual Health Center, which aims to provide telehealth services seven days a week. The expanded virtual services will include access to birth control, medication abortion, and gender-affirming care. The organization hopes this expansion will help patients across the state, particularly in rural areas, continue to access necessary care despite the clinic closures.
To further mitigate the impact of the closures, PPMI will assist patients who require in-person care by providing support in getting to and from alternative PPMI clinics. The organization’s goal is to ensure continued access to critical healthcare services for those who need it most.
The closures have drawn mixed reactions from the community. Amber Roseboom, president of Right to Life of Michigan, released a statement calling the clinic closures “good news” for women and families in the state. Roseboom argued that the closures demonstrate Planned Parenthood’s inability to meet the needs of women beyond providing abortion services. “These four closures demonstrate Planned Parenthood’s inability to meet the needs of women, while they continue to advocate a radical political agenda and an abortion-only response to women facing unplanned pregnancies,” she said.
However, PPMI’s leadership insists that the restructuring will allow the organization to continue providing vital services to Michigan residents, even as the healthcare landscape continues to shift. The expansion of telehealth services and other changes are expected to help fill the gap left by the clinic closures, especially in underserved rural areas.
As the state grapples with these changes, it remains to be seen how the restructuring will affect access to reproductive healthcare, and whether telehealth will be able to adequately meet the needs of patients in more remote areas. The decision to close clinics and cut staff highlights the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare organizations operating in a politically charged and financially strained environment.
