Above: Planned Parenthood’s new abortion facility in Southeast Kansas, less than 30 minutes from Missouri and 90 minutes from Arkansas. The center presumably will promote abortion to women from out-of-state.

News reports indicate Planned Parenthood is consolidating its facilities in Missouri.

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider, and its regional affiliate Planned Parenthood Great Plains is responsible for its facilities in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. Now that Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma have generally prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother, the organization has opened a new abortion facility in southeast Kansas, and it intends to close its facility in Joplin, Missouri — just north of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The St. Louis Business Journal reports the Joplin facility will close January 1. Planned Parenthood also intends to shutter two facilities in the St. Louis area in November. The organization reportedly will focus on “telehealth services,” and it will refer women to its new abortion facility in southeast Kansas.

Planned Parenthood also maintains abortion facilities in Illinois that can target the St. Louis area. So while the organization may be closing and consolidating facilities in Missouri, it appears Planned Parenthood will continue promoting abortion throughout the region.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: It’s important to prohibit abortion through legislation, but we need to eliminate the demand for abortion as well.

One way Arkansans can do that is by supporting pro-life organizations that empower women with real options besides abortion.

Arkansas is home to more than 60 organizations that assist pregnant women — including some 45 pregnancy resource centers that help women with unplanned pregnancies.

The State of Arkansas recently voted to award $2 million in grants to pregnancy-help organizations for the 2024-2025 budget cycle. That money is going to help a lot of women and children in the coming months — and hopefully it will encourage women not to travel across state lines for abortions.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.