Planned Parenthood to close Westside Health Center
BY SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
1/09/13 at 12:57 PM
Planned Parenthood is closing its Westside Health Center in Tulsa after the Oklahoma State Department of Health terminated its WIC contract.
The center will close Feb. 1, according to an email to staff from Jill June, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
The clinic is located at 4733 S. Union Ave.
Six Planned Parenthood employees in Tulsa who worked with WIC clients have already been laid off, according to the email.
The westside center primarily served WIC clients and keeping it open is no longer financially possible, June said.
"It’s extremely important to let our patients know that we will continue to be here for them, in the Tulsa area, no matter what," she wrote. "This has been a challenging time for all of us. We will continue to do all we can to help the women, men and families who rely on us for care."
Planned Parenthood's WIC contract ended Dec. 31. State health department officials have said the contract was terminated because of relatively low caseloads and high cost per participant as well as a lack of response to health department questions about the contract's administration.
Planned Parenthood has maintained that the decision to end the contract was political, which the department of health denies.
The organization sought an injunction in federal court to stop the contract from ending, but it was denied in late December.
