PROVIDENCE – Planned Parenthood of Southern New England celebrated its new state-of-the-art health center in Providence, with an April 24 ribbon-cutting ceremony, the nonprofit organization announced. The location of the new center, 175 Broad St., better meets the Rhode Island community’s needs, PPSNE reported. The first Planned Parenthood health center opened in Providence in 1932 and has served the women and families of Rhode Island for more than 80 years.
“We are thrilled to expand our services, community involvement and educational programming in Rhode Island, and provide essential preventive health care to more people than ever before,” Mary Bawza, PPSNE chief operating officer, said in a statement. “We are excited to grow in Providence and serve the community well into the future. We are here for our patients – no matter what.”
The new Providence health center location – less than a mile away from its earlier Point Street location – provides a wide range of preventive health care services in a location near Interstate 95 and on public bus routes. With convenient, free and secure on-site parking, the new center offers online, walk-in and same-day appointments.
Last year, the PPSNE Providence health center served nearly 8,000 patients at its Point Street location, including more than 5,000 visits for contraception and 9,500 visits for tests for sexually transmitted infections. Sixty-one percent of its patients had low incomes, and 33 percent were uninsured.
Planned Parenthood services for women, men and young people include sexually transmitted diseases/STIs testing, HIV testing and counseling, all U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved birth control methods, pregnancy testing and counseling, emergency contraception and more. It offers medical interpretation services for non-English speaking patients, participates in many insurance plans and has a sliding-fee scale based on a patient’s income.
The Providence health center is open Mondays through Saturdays, with varied hours. Contact ppsne.org for more information.
