Planned Parenthood of New York City

More than one in four U.S. 14- to 19-year-olds has a sexually transmitted infection, and rates of teen pregnancy remain exceptionally high among girls in low-income families.

Many young people—especially those at highest risk—lack access to reproductive health services, including birth control counseling and services, abstinence education, and HIV/sexually transmitted infection screening, counseling and testing. In Staten Island, a lack of accessible health services and privacy concerns prevent many young people from seeking such care.

To expand access to safe and affordable reproductive health services for these young people, Planned Parenthood of New York City (PPNYC) established a new clinic at Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI), a nonprofit organization that provides social services for young people. The clinic provided family planning services and helped clients apply for health insurance benefits. It served a target population that is more than 70% minority and primarily from the low-income neighborhoods of St. George/Richmond. CHASI and PPNYC worked together to engage key Staten Island stakeholders, such as community-based social service and health providers as well as elected officials. These community leaders identified opportunities for outreach to targeted populations and spread information about the clinic. The clinic provided 3,000 visits per year when reached full capacity.

For more than 90 years, PPNYC has provided affordable and confidential reproductive health care to New Yorkers. It operates three health centers—in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx—that offer a wide array of women’s health services and counseling. More than 42,000 clients visit these centers every year.