Fayetteville clinic planning to move

Planned Parenthood notes challenges

Planned Parenthood will be moving from its Fayetteville clinic to a new location this summer, said Emily Miller, a spokesman for Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

She said the decision to move was made "following some challenges at our current location."

When asked if Planned Parenthood had been asked to move, Miller said, "No, we chose to relocate the health center."

"Our patients rely on us for high-quality, comprehensive care, and we want to be loud and clear: our doors remain open in Fayetteville," Miller said via email. "We are committed to providing sexual and reproductive health care in Northwest Arkansas, and we are looking forward to providing the same critical health care services at a new location."

The Family Council, a conservative Little Rock-based lobbying organization, posted on its website that Planned Parenthood's landlord had decided not to renew the lease at the clinic's current location on Crossover Road.

"The decision came on the heels of the spring 40 Days for Life campaign in Fayetteville, during which pro-life Arkansans prayed daily outside the Northwest Arkansas abortion clinic," according to the post on familycouncil.org.

Sheila Pursell of Bella Vista, director for Northwest Arkansas Respect Life, said the group has prayed outside the clinic regularly for the past seven years.

She said 430 people participated in the 40 Days for Life campaign in Fayetteville, which ended April 14. Pursell said the praying went on seven days a week during the campaign, even on days when the clinic was closed.

"We pray for not only the unborn and their moms, but we pray for the abortion workers, the doctors and the landlord, and for the people who drive by," said Pursell.

Pursell said she didn't know who made the decision not to renew the clinic's lease at the current location.

"I just know that their lease is not being renewed, whether it's the decision of Planned Parenthood or the landlord," she said. "I just know they're not staying."

If the clinic moves to a new location in Northwest Arkansas, Pursell said the group will pray outside that one, too.

Planned Parenthood has two clinics in Arkansas. The other one is in Little Rock.

"Both provide medication abortion services," said Miller. "There is also one independent provider in the state, Little Rock Family Planning, which offers both surgical and medication abortion services."

When asked if a new Fayetteville location has been chosen and whether services would be disrupted during the move, Miller replied in an email: "We'll be announcing our new location and plans to transition health services there in the future. In the meantime, we remain open at our current location."

Metro on 06/16/2019

Upcoming Events