MARQUETTE, MI— The only Planned Parenthood clinic in the Upper Peninsula is closing, due to federal cuts to DEI programs.
The Marquette clinic, along with those in Jackson and Petoskey will close, and Planned Parenthood of Michigan staff will be cut by 10 percent.
PPMI President and CEO Paula Thornton Greear says President Trump is freezing funding for the Title X program, which funds reproductive health services for low-income patients. She says when Trump forced Michigan out of the Title X program in 2019, Planned Parenthood saw a 75-percent drop in program participation.
“Meaning that when we were forced out of the program, patients weren’t able to find care elsewhere. But that funding is critically important for us in being able to continue our operations.”
PPMI is also anticipating cuts to Medicaid funding over the next few weeks. Greear says while the brick-and-mortar buildings will close and clinics in Ann Arbor will consolidate, PPMI will increase telehealth services through its Virtual Health Center.
“We know that our patients, and particularly our LGBTQ patients, are concerned, and we’re committed to continuing to be there for them through telehealth.”
Greear says that will increase appointment availability statewide and help ensure patients can continue to access needed care, particularly in rural areas.
“We are up against a landscape that is being brought forth by the Trump administration and his anti-abortion allies, who have made it abundantly clear their intentions to disband Planned Parenthood and attack access to sexual and reproductive health care across this country,” Greear says.
The full PPMI press release is here.
