Abortion

Abortion Access Just Got a Little Better in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued Planned Parenthood a license to provide abortion services at the Midtown Health Center of Kansas City, which is now taking appointments for medication abortion services.

Planned Parenthood also hopes to expand abortion services to Columbia, Joplin, and Springfield. Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images

Missouri is no longer a state with only one abortion clinic. Planned Parenthood Great Plains announced Monday that abortion services are now available at the organization’s health center in Kansas City.  

Aaron Samulcek, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement that approval from the state to provide abortion services represents a “hard fought victory” for the health-care organization.

“We celebrate this win for our patients who deserve greater access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care including safe, legal abortion,” Samulcek said.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued Planned Parenthood a license to provide abortion services at the Midtown Health Center of Kansas City, which is now taking appointments for medication abortion services.

The clinic stopped providing abortion services five years ago, the Kansas City Star reported.

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down portions of the Texas GOP omnibus anti-choice law known as HB 2, a federal judge in April blocked Republican officials in Missouri from enforcing a similar restrictions.

After the court ruling, Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri said they would seek to expand abortion services to Kansas City, Columbia, Joplin, and Springfield.

The ruling sent Missouri lawmakers scrambling for ways to prevent abortion services from being expanded in the state. Gov. Eric Greitens (R), an outspoken opponent of reproductive rights, called a special of session of the GOP-held state legislature, and lawmakers passed sweeping abortion restrictions.

The new anti-choice laws are set to take effect October 24.