Planned Parenthood receives $140 million in state funding after California clinic closures
Daniella Lake
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Governor Gavin Newsom announced last week that the state will be providing $140 million in funding to Planned Parenthood clinics across the state. This comes after they lost $300 million in federal funding in July. Clinics in Orange and San Bernardino counties announced that they will no be providing primary care after Dec. 1.
The Coachella Valley has Planned Parenthood facilities in Rancho Mirage and Coachella. While they’ve been affected by federal funding, there are several clinics throughout the Coachella Valley that provide pregnancy resources and education without state or federal funds.
Refuge Pregnancy Center in Indio provides free services, such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds expecting mothers. “Formula is expensive, diapers are expensive, and refuge pregnancy center is a place that you don’t have to worry about that If you’re one of our clients,” says Krisna Angulo, officer manager for Refuge Pregnancy Center.
When Fatima Escobar found out she was pregnant as a teenager, she went to the pregnancy center for help.
“They just they told me that it’s possible, you know, to go to college, continue high school, and be a parent. That peace and that secureness that I felt in the clinic, I’ve never felt anywhere else,” she says.
A few years later, she’s now an intern for the center. “I would love to be the advocate for somebody just as the way that they were with me,” says Escobar.
Angulo says that they’ve seen more and more clients without Medicaid, which received billions in funding cuts from the federal government.
“It feels like each month there’s more and more clients without Medi-Cal. But, we’re happy that we can provide that pregnancy verification as soon as we know that they are pregnant,” she says. Pregnancy verification from Refuge Pregnancy Center can help expecting mothers receive medical insurance.
This Saturday, Nov. 1, the Refuge Pregnancy Center along with the Parenting Education Center is hosting a baby item giveaway from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at 81557 Dr. Carreon Blvd in Indio.