A month after Midtown Cleveland Planned Parenthood closed its doors, it was as though the reproductive health provider's location never existed.
On Tuesday, the windows were shuttered and all signage had been removed from the building's facade, sandwiched between a U.S. Bank branch and a vape shop.
A sign taped to the boarded-up front door read, Now Closed in bold letters, citing ongoing attacks from the Trump administration for disrupting essential services provided by Planned Parenthood, including birth control access, cancer screenings and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
The sign referred patients to other Northeast Ohio locations in Old Brooklyn, Bedford Heights and Rocky River.
Why'd they close this one? wondered Desire Sue, a 54-year-old Cleveland resident standing outside the clinic after visiting the bank next door. Because we're Black, right?
Sue, a resident of the majority-Black Kinsman neighborhood on the city's East Side, has never visited the Planned Parenthood, but she said it was sad that people who needed the care could show up to an empty building.
They should have closed ones further out, she said. I mean there's more people here in Cleveland having more issues than the ones out that way anyway, or can afford to [seek care.]
In a written statement released Sunday by Erica Wilson-Domer, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, she attributed the Trump administration's freezing of Title X funds as a driving factor in closing the clinic.
鈥淐losing the Cleveland Health Center was a decision not made lightly, as our patients and team members have supported this community for over a decade, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio wrote in a statement to Ideastream. We have personally reached out to each affected patient to help them transition their care to another PPGOH location or our Virtual Health Center, ensuring no interruption in their healthcare services.
Though federal law gives Medicaid patients the right to choose their own qualified provider, President Donald Trump and other Republicans have attempted to block those recipients of the government health insurance program from using those dollars at Planned Parenthoods.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that two South Carolina Planned Parenthood clinics could not sue the state for withholding Medicaid dollars needed to provide abortion access. Since that ruling, multiple clinics across the country have closed their doors.
Cleveland Right to Life applauded the closure in a Tuesday statement, thanking God for the legislators who stood up to the most-evil organization of our time, Planned Parenthood.
Sue said the reproductive health clinic's closure, and other threats to benefits like Medicaid, would disproportionately affect minorities and the Cleveland's poorest residents, particularly children.
You don't know when food stamps and money gonna get cut off too. ... This ain't gonna be a joke when you have all these babies you can't take care of, she said. And Trump don't care.
Sue is a recipient of Medicaid, without which she said she could not afford healthcare for her medical issues. The Senate narrowly approved its version of Trump's spending bill Tuesday, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will result in nearly 12 million Americans losing care.
Cleveland's Department of Public Health said in a Tuesday statement it was prepared to step up to ensure those affected by the Planned Parenthood closure would still receive reproductive care.
鈥淣o one should have to go without essential reproductive and preventive health services,鈥� the city's Director of Public Health David Margolius said in a written statement. 鈥淥ur team is committed to making sure that everyone鈥攔egardless of income, zip code, or insurance status鈥攈as access to the health care they need.鈥�
The following services at available at the and at mobile health units in neighborhoods across the city:
- Birth control and family planning
- STD testing and treatment
- Pregnancy testing and counseling
- Wellness exams
- TB Testing
- Immunizations
- HPV and Gardasil vaccinations
Read Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio's full statement to Ideastream:
鈥淎nti-abortion politicians never planned to stop when they dismantled Roe v. Wade, which is why they are withholding Title X funding from Planned Parenthood. Title X funding is federal funding for family planning services, especially for patients with low incomes and without insurance, and does not fund abortion services. This loss of funding is having direct, negative consequences. Without critical Title X funding, our communities will continue facing further challenges in accessing essential services like birth control, cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
鈥淧lanned Parenthood of Greater Ohio (PPGOH) made the difficult decision to close the Cleveland Health Center in part because of the loss of Title X funds. This decision was made keeping in mind the health of our organization and our ability to continue providing care at our remaining , two surgical centers, and through our .
鈥淐losing the Cleveland Health Center was a decision not made lightly, as our patients and team members have supported this community for over a decade. We have personally reached out to each affected patient to help them transition their care to another PPGOH location or our Virtual Health Center, ensuring no interruption in their healthcare services.
鈥淭he decision from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to withhold our Title X funds is not related to any violations or compliance issues. PPGOH has complied with all the Title X program requirements and all applicable federal civil rights laws. We look forward to resolving this matter through constructive dialogue with HHS.鈥�
