Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Wisconsin team up to accommodate demand for abortion services in Illinois with bans elsewhere
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Friday marks three weeks since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended a federal right to abortion.
We are now learning more about how demand for abortion services have surged in Illinois already - as neighboring states enact abortion bans. As CBS 2's Chris Tye reported Thursday, a new partnership has been launched between Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Illinois to help women in the Midwest access abortion services in the latter state.
In Wisconsin, with Roe overturned, a law from more than 150 years ago makes abortion a felony. Planned Parenthood saw this day coming and began to plan.
Staff from our neighbor to the north are now heading down to Illinois every day to help with a surge in demand.
"I am one of the many of providers who have decided to commute to Illinois to provide abortion care," said Allie Linton, associate medical director for Planned Parenthood Wisconsin.
The highways into Illinois have gotten busier since the Supreme Court overturned Roe - busier with patients needing care, and now, physicians driving in to help with that demand.
Abortion has been, or is likely about to be, banned in every state touching Illinois.
A Planned Parenthood care center in Waukegan, just eight miles from the Wisconsin state line, opened in 2020 in preparation for an abortion ban up the road.
"Because of this partnership, we have been able to double our abortion provision at the Waukegan health center," said Kristin Schultz of Planned Parenthood of Illinois.
More recently, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin began certifying staff to work in Illinois to be able to help with their patients crossing the state line for care. And they are crossing a lot.
"During this time, we've seen a tenfold increase in patients from Wisconsin coming for care in Illinois," said Jennifer Welch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Planned Parenthood of Illinois.
At the Waukegan facility, they've doubled the abortion caseloads compared to the same time last year.
In the nearly three weeks since the Supreme Court ruling, call volume into Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has doubled. Most of those calls and patients being routed to Illinois.
Before the end of the month, a similar partnership could be forged with Planned Parenthood of Indiana - as that state's legislature is likely to soon further restrict abortion also.
"We do anticipate that Planned Parenthood of Illinois will be an increasing haven for care from all over the Midwest," Welch said.
In 2020, the last year for which we have complete data, Illinois had 46,000 abortions. If Planned Parenthood of Illinois' forecasting is right, and we see 30,000 more cases coming into Illinois from adjacent states, it will certainly put intense pressure on the sector.
In a statement Thursday, Illinois Right to Life calls Illinois abortion law "completely out of step with mainstream public opinion on abortion." The organization added that they will continue to "advocate for laws that protect women and their children as well as work to provide life-affirming options to women facing unplanned pregnancies."
