Planned Parenthood to close 8 centers across Iowa, Minnesota amid federal funding cuts
Planned Parenthood North Central States said Friday that it plans to close over a third of its health centers across Minnesota and Iowa and lay off dozens of staff members in light of looming federal funding cuts and other budget constraints.
State of play: The announcement from Minnesota's largest abortion provider came just one day after the U.S. House passed a reconciliation bill that it says would "defund" Planned Parenthood and make deep cuts to Medicaid funding.
Driving the news: Leaders of the regional affiliate cited that move, along with the Trump administration's decision to freeze $2.8 million in Title X funds used for birth control and cancer screenings and a proposal to cut teen pregnancy prevention aid as key factors in the decision to consolidate its centers.
Shifting patient preferences and broader challenges facing the health care sector, including stagnant reimbursement rates and staff shortages, also contributed, it said in a release.
By the numbers: Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) says it provides sexual and reproductive health care, including abortions, to an estimated 93,000 people across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota each year.
Over 30% of its patients rely on Medicaid, per a release.
Between the lines: While federal funds generally cannot be used for abortions, critics of abortion rights have long sought to prevent any taxpayer money from flowing to the organization.
What they're saying: PPNCS president Ruth Richardson said the "heart wrenching" decision to consolidate operations was meant to "ensure Planned Parenthood is here for years to come."
"We have been fighting to hold together an unsustainable infrastructure as the landscape shifts around us and an onslaught of attacks continues," she said in a statement.
Zoom in: The list of eight sites slated to close in the coming year includes several in the Twin Cities metro. Four Iowa health care centers — including its only facility that provides abortions in that state — and two in Greater Minnesota will also shutter:
Ames Health Center (Ames, Iowa)
Alexandria Health Center (Alexandria, Minnesota)
Apple Valley Health Center (Apple Valley, Minn.)
Bemidji Health Center (Bemidji, Minnesota)
Cedar Rapids Health Center (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Richfield Health Center (Richfield, Minnesota)
Sioux City Health Center (Sioux City, Iowa)
Urbandale Health Center (Urbandale, Iowa)
Plus: PPNCS will also lay off 66 staff members and offer 37 others the opportunity to be reassigned as part of the reorganization.
Zoom out: Minnesota has seen an increase in both abortions and out-of-state patients seeking abortion care in the wake of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
The bottom line: Planned Parenthood said its 15 remaining health centers across the chapter's region, including about a dozen in Minnesota and Iowa, will remain open.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Michigan ranks 33rd for child well-being in annual report with education among the nation's worst
Maskot/Getty Images Michigan ranked 33rd for overall child well-being in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count Data Book, lagging in education and economic well-being, amongst other areas. This is the 36th year the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable organization examining children's welfare, has released its Kids Count Data Book which ranks states' care for youth through education, health, family and community, and economic wellbeing. Historically, Michigan has particularly dragged in its education ranking, with the 2025 ranking sitting at 44th in the nation. Michigan worsened in the number of children ages 3 and 4 not attending school than in previous years. When it came to benchmark testing, the data book found that the number of eighth graders not testing proficient in math and fourth graders not testing proficient in reading worsened than in previous years as well. 'Education has consistently been our lowest ranking domain among the four key domains that the Annie E. Casey Foundation evaluates, pointing to the continued, urgent need for our state leaders to do more to support Michigan students,' said Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy in a news release Monday. Pushing for a school funding solution in Michigan continues to be a top priority for the league, which acts as the state's member organization of the Kids Count network, Stanton said. Michigan has worked to improve school access and outcomes, notably through securing universal school meals and investments in school mental health resources. But with federal threats on education looming, namely the Trump administration's interest in gutting the U.S. Department of Education, Stanton said it's important to point out the federal decisions that would harm students and advocate for policies that set kids up for educational success. Aecf-2025kidscountdatabook 'Speaking out against federal threats to education is also vital to ensuring our schools stay strong and are able to meet the needs of every student that walks through their doors,' Stanton said. 'Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education would remove protections for thousands of students in Michigan, especially those from low-income households and those receiving special education services.' The state's best ranking has historically been in health, ranking this year at 22nd. Michigan's health ranking, the only sector where Michigan placed in the top half of states, is largely attributed to the large portion of the state's children who have access to health insurance, the league's news release said. But just as stakeholders have raised concerns with President Donald Trump's plans for education, alarm bells are sounding off for a federal spending plan that would cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid. More than 1 in 4 Michiganders is covered by Medicaid each month, including more than 1 million children, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. While there are areas where Michigan has made improvements, there continue to be sectors of children's well-being that demand attention and resources, Stanton said. These needs would be best addressed with the collaboration of state and federal policymakers to ensure Michigan's kids have opportunities to grow up healthy and prepared for their futures. 'We know what kids need to grow up healthy and connected so they can thrive as adults: Stable homes, strong schools, nutritious food, meaningful relationships and opportunities to learn, play and grow. Programs that meet these needs are smart investments, fostering long-term gains like employment and economic growth,' Stanton said. 'We encourage Michigan leaders and lawmakers alike to use both the national KIDS COUNT data and the state data we will be releasing later this year in informing smart policy and budget decisions that prioritize the well-being and futures of our state's youngest residents.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Protests Spread Beyond Los Angeles over Immigration Raids
Police officers tackle and drag a protestor during a rainy anti-ICE demonstration in New York. Credit - Madison Swart/ Hans Lucas — AFP via Getty Images Anti-ICE demonstrations are expected to spread to more cities this week after days of unrest in Los Angeles, with at least 30 new protests planned across the country in response to the Trump Administration's recent immigration raids. Additional protests have already broken out in San Francisco, Sacramento, Houston, San Antonio, Chicago and New York, where activists rallied over the weekend and into Monday in solidarity with demonstrators in Los Angeles. By Monday afternoon, organizers had scheduled demonstrations in nearly every major city, signaling a growing backlash to the Trump Administration's immigration enforcement tactics and its deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. Read more: Trump Suggests Arresting Gavin Newsom, Escalating Tensions Over ICE Raids The protests were sparked by a series of workplace immigration raids last week, and escalated after the arrest of David Huerta, the president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) of California, during a demonstration in Los Angeles on Friday. Huerta, a prominent labor and civil rights leader, was taken into federal custody and hospitalized after what ICE described as interference with a federal operation. His arrest has galvanized organized labor, with SEIU chapters announcing nationwide demonstrations in his defense and in protest of what they called a 'clear attack on our communities.' In Los Angeles, the protests have grown larger and more confrontational since Friday. Hundreds of demonstrators marched downtown and clashed with law enforcement. Some protesters set barricades in the streets, vandalized buildings, and hurled objects at law enforcement. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, and the California Highway Patrol used flash-bang grenades to clear demonstrators after a group blocked traffic. Read more: Can the President Activate a State's National Guard? At least 150 people have been arrested in Los Angeles since the protests began, and city officials warned that further disruptions could continue throughout the week. Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to the city over the weekend, bypassing California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move 'a violation of state sovereignty' and signaled plans to challenge the decision in court. Trump has described protesters as 'insurrectionists' and 'professional agitators' who 'should be in jail.' A map of anti-ICE demonstrations posted by SEIU showed that events were planned in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Seattle, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Charlotte, Portland, St. Paul, Santa Fe, and more. Additional demonstrations may also take place, though the largest demonstrations remain centered in Los Angeles, where National Guard soldiers in tactical gear continue to patrol areas downtown. 'ICE's brutal, military-style tactics have no place in our communities,' SEIU wrote in a post on X. 'We demand safety. We demand respect. We demand David's release.' Write to Nik Popli at
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mexico's president condemns violence amid protests against ICE raids
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday denounced acts of violence linked to widespread demonstrations in Los Angeles against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Speaking during her regular morning news conference, Sheinbaum called for respect for legal processes in immigration enforcement and asked U.S. officials to uphold the rule of law. 'We condemn violence wherever it comes from,' Sheinbaum said, per Reuters. The protests erupted on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids in the city and surrounding communities. Demonstrations were largely peaceful, but tensions flared Saturday and Sunday. Police have reported 42 arrests after Sunday's protests turned violent, including 19 by the California Highway Patrol, who were called to a demonstration that closed the 101 Freeway through DTLA for several hours. Local and state leaders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have criticized President Donald Trump's use of the National Guard in trying to quell anti-ICE immigration, saying the escalation in force has led and will only lead to further trouble. Newsom also announced plans to sue the Trump administration over the deployment. Trump also indicated that he would be willing to bring in the U.S. Marines if he deemed the situation warranted it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
