“A failure of human rights, health and justice.” PHI Statement on Overturn of Roe v Wade

Statement from Mary A. Pittman, President and CEO of the Public Health Institute

“Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade is a failure of human rights, health and justice. Abortion is healthcare, and like any other healthcare, must be protected, safe, affordable and accessible. When people have control over when and if they get pregnant and when and if they have children, families, communities and countries are stronger, by almost every measure.

“Making abortion illegal doesn’t end abortion, it simply makes it less safe, and barriers to abortion will impact systemically excluded communities first and worst. Immigrants, people living in poverty, those without access to transportation, healthcare or other resources, Black women, young people and rural —all of whom already experience severe systemic barriers to health—will experience lifelong, generational impacts as a result of this ruling.

“In anticipation of this devastating ruling, PHI has been evaluating both internal and external policies to strengthen access across our work. We are reviewing internal policies to support employee access to abortion; dedicating a one-time fund assistance award for PHI programs working on abortion access; and investing in PHI policy research related to abortion pill access.

“We continue to support federal actions that reverse this terrible ruling. In a state that is vigorously pro-choice, we are also calling for policy changes that would make abortion more accessible within California, serve to support those who must now travel to California to seek abortion, and protect those who need or provide abortions. These include: decreased barriers and increased reimbursement for telehealth abortion services, especially through Medi-Cal; a call for the state of California to protect any abortion prescriber or provider from criminalization or prosecution; and, increased research, funding and support for self-managed abortion with abortion pills in any state.”