Reducing Barriers to Reproductive Healthcare Table of Contents
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ANNUAL REPORT 2015 ASSURING ACCESS: REDUCING BARRIERS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR 4 WHO WE SERVE WHAT WE DO 6 FAMILY PLANNING & GYNECOLOGY 8 ABORTION CARE 10 YOUTH SERVICES HOW WE WORK 12 VOLUNTEERS & OUTREACH 13 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS 14 OUR FINANCIALS 16 2015 DONORS 18 2015 LEADERSHIP TEAM 19 HOW YOU CAN HELP Photos throughout by Eliza Karlson except where noted.. OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESS FOR ALL A LETTER FROM SUSAN BUCHANAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2015 was unprecedented in the number and as a safety net healthcare provider in Boulder virulence of attacks on women’s constitutional County. Our Annual Report once again highlights right to access abortion care. We stand with our the important services that we provide and the friends at Planned Parenthood who were mercilessly successes and challenges we faced in 2015. I targeted by fanatics and even worse, a gunman. am so proud of our Board and Staff who, time and There can be no question that the tenor of the again, provide the guidance, skills and compassion anti-abortion rhetoric and unceasing legislative required to do this work – despite the threats. scrutiny of Planned Parenthood increases the threat of violence not only for them, but for all abortion Women’s Health remains committed to providing the providers. highest quality family planning and sexual healthcare services for all of our patients, particularly for those One of the tactics used by anti-abortion legislators who can’t participate in the Affordable Care Act’s Allison Paige Photography is to close abortion clinics by threatening to remove expansion of insurance coverage. We assure access the government funding we use to subsidize family for the uninsured and underinsured, those who planning and other services for marginalized can't use their insurance because of confidentiality populations. In Colorado, Women’s Health is in concerns, or those who simply can’t pay. And, as a unique position as we are the only Title X (ten) we have since 1973, we will continue to provide provider who also provides abortion care. Title X is respectful, compassionate abortion care in a safe the federal family planning program that provides environment for our patients and staff. critical support to help offset costs of the care we provide to low income/uninsured people, teens or Regardless of threats or rhetoric, we are resolved others who continue to experience barriers when to carry on–in partnership with the communities we accessing critical reproductive or sexual healthcare. serve and with your help. Despite the threats, and with a lot of local support, Susan (Levy) Buchanan we have been able to continue our unique role Executive Director 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 3 WHO WE SERVE ADULTS & TEENS OF ALL GENDERS INSURED & UNINSURED PATIENTS I have never been treated with such love and support at any medical office I have ever been UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS to...The group of women here have honestly had a tremendous impact on my life...This is a one “of a kind place...a supportive, professional, and basically AMAZING PLACE FILLED WITH AMAZING WOMEN. Thank you thank you thank you! You have reminded me that there are caring and wonderful people in this world helping others. ~Women's Health patient ” WHO WE ADULTS & TEENS OF ALL GENDERS SERVE INSURED, UNINSURED & UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS Expanding access to healthcare services has been a guiding principle of Women’s Health since our founding. Our clinic opened in 1973, just months after abortion was legalized nationwide. As the state's first abortion clinic, Women's Health created access to abortion care for Coloradans. Since that time, we’ve not only expanded the services we offer, but have also worked to expand access to them, particularly for underserved populations–uninsured/underinsured patients, monolingual Spanish speakers, LGBTQ people, and/or youth. By breaking down barriers, we help ensure that all can get the care they need. Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in January 2014, we have also worked to educate our patients on their expanded options for health insurance and Medicaid, and have even offered on-site Medicaid enrollment at our clinics. Consequently, the percentage of our patients with insurance (public or private) increased dramatically, from 19% in 2013 to over 60% by the end of 2015. TOTAL = 4566 patients* *Some patients seen in more than one program. 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 5 WHAT WE DO CLINICAL SERVICES “This facility is incredible! Its staff is comprised of the most compassionate, professional SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION and reassuring individuals. I went here for location, convenience and affordability, but “the employees I came into contact with proved ADVOCACY to be unbelievably comforting, caring and selfless. Women's Health Center will be my first recommendation to others dealing with extremely difficult and frightening situations who are hoping to receive compassionate, wonderful, medical and emotional care.” ~Women's Health patient ” WHAT REPRODUCTIVE & SEXUAL WE DO HEALTHCARE SERVICES Subsidized Family Planning Long-Acting Reversible While Women's Health accepts most major insurance Contraception (LARC) plans, we are committed to remaining accessible to those who are low-income, uninsured, or who Women’s Health was the first provider in cannot use their insurance due to high co-pays and Colorado and the only provider in Boulder deductibles or confidentiality concerns. County to participate in the Colorado Family Planning Initiative, a statewide, privately- To remove barriers of cost for these underserved and funded program which provided LARC methods high-risk populations, Women’s Health participates in (IUDs and implants) to low-income women and the Title X federal family planning program. Women’s teens at no cost. The program resulted in an Health is the ONLY Title X provider in Boulder County. astounding 48% drop in the state’s teen births Most of our services (except abortion care) are and abortions between 2009-2014, and a 51% offered on a sliding scale based on income, sliding to drop in teen births in Boulder County. $0 for those below the Federal Poverty Line. In 2015, Women’s Health served 4082 patients in our Family In 2015, an effort to authorize the use of Planning/Gynecology programs. state funds to continue this proven, cost- effective program failed in the state legislature. Specialized Gynecology Women's Health was able to continue our LARC program through a combination of private and In addition to our Family Planning programs, our government funding. In 2015, Women's Health Medical Director, a board-certified Ob-Gyn, provides was also one of the first clinics in the state to specialized care for gynecological disorders or begin using Liletta, a new, lower-cost IUD which abnormalities. Complex gynecological treatments makes LARC methods more accessible to include colposcopy, LEEP, cryosurgery and lower-income and uninsured women. endometrial biopsies. Our physician also provides permanent non-surgical contraception for women 934 patients received a LARC method in 2015. (Essure) and men (no-scalpel vasectomy). 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 7 WHAT REPRODUCTIVE & SEXUAL WE DO HEALTHCARE SERVICES Cancer Screenings & Referrals and sexual identities. Our staff and volunteers are trained to not assume sexual or gender identity, to As a Patient-Centered Medical Home, Women's use the patient’s correct pronouns, and use gender Health coordinates care for our patients for specialty neutral language. Women's Health is also an ally to services or services outside our scope of practice, LGBTQ groups in our community and participates in including cancer screenings and referrals. In 2015, relevant events such as Pridefest. Women's Health supported 334 patients through the diagnostic process for breast cancer. After providing Since 2012, Women’s Health has also offered the initial exam, we connected patients to follow-up specific services for transgender persons, including care such as mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, hormonal therapy, referral information for sex and surgical consults, and for two patients, treatment assignment surgery, and general preventive health for breast cancer. We also provided funding for 80 care. We are the only known safety-net resource for of those patients, thanks primarily to funding from this service in Boulder County. In 2015, Women’s the Women’s Wellness Connection (WWC), a federally Health actively managed hormone therapy for 49 funded, state-administered program, and supplemental patients, up from 36 patients in 2014 and 6 in 2013. funding from Hospira, Pfizer, and individual donors. Culturally-Competent Services LGBTQ-Inclusive Services Monolingual Spanish speakers and the immigrant Fear of discrimination or assumptions made by community face barriers of language, cultural medical providers about a patient’s sexuality or differences, and concerns over documentation. To gender identity can lead LGBTQ people to hesitate address these, our website and all clinic materials before seeking care. Women's Health strives to are available in Spanish. Women's Health places provide sensitive, culturally competent, respectful, a priority on hiring bilingual staff, and our Bilingual and clinically appropriate care to our LGBTQ patients. Outreach Coordinator serves as a trusted presence in Our community health education curriculum and the Latina community. Documentation is not required outreach materials aim to be inclusive of all gender to receive services at Women's Health. 8 2015 ANNUAL REPORT WHAT ABORTION WE DO CARE Although abortion has been a legal medical service Emotional Support and a Constitutional right for over 40 years, barriers to abortion care still exist. Among these are cost, Women’s Health provides 1st trimester abortion care restrictive laws and policies surrounding abortion, in the quiet and secluded environment of our Boulder and the stigma that can still be associated with the clinic. Every abortion patient receives support from procedure, despite the fact that 1 in 3 women will our Master Level Counselors, including information, have an abortion in her lifetime.