In June, 2019, Public Health Awakened members wrote and circulated an open letter in opposition to the Missouri Health Department’s pending decision to effectively close the last remaining abortion-providing clinic in the state. The letter affirmed the right to abortion care for all people with the capacity to become pregnant, framed this access as a matter of health equity, and affirmed abortion care as an essential health service.
Over 350 public health professionals from Missouri and nationwide signed on and the letter was sent to the Director of Missouri State Department of Health and Senior Services, Dr. Randall Williams, and other state officials. Thanks to tireless work of Missouri advocates and providers, the clinic remained open and continues to provide abortion care as an essential health service.