HUDSON – Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood (UHPP) employed the giant scissors of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce to cut the ribbon on its new facility at 804 Columbia Street on Monday, March 25. In attendance to lend their support for the opening were Congressman Antonio Delgado (D-19) and Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-106).
The health center will serve more people in Columbia, Greene, Albany, Rensselaer and Berkshire counties. The next nearest centers are in Albany and Kingston. Plans are in the works for a new center in Troy.
The facility has four patient rooms, an abortion recovery room, behavioral health care and counseling offices, and a shared teen space and community room. Services include health care, abortion, sexual health education, transgender care and mental health counseling.
Information published by UHPP says that the organization had 1,291 visits to its health center in 2018 which is a 138% increase over 2016. Noting that throughout New York State, 57% of Planned Parenthood’s patients are covered by Medicaid, UHPP President and CEO Chelly Hegan writes, “With the continued attacks from the Trump Pence Administration, including the changes to Title X, it is more important than ever that Planned Parenthood let our patients know that we will continue to provide high quality, confidential reproductive health care in the communities that need us the most. Our health care professionals are committed to delivering honest and complete information to our patients.”
