MassLive: Mass. public universities have Thursday deadline to submit abortion readiness plans to state

By Namu Sampath

Originally published by MassLive

Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June of last year, which overturned the constitutional right to have an abortion, state legislation passed that protected access to reproductive and gender affirming care.

It also required all public colleges and universities to create an abortion readiness plan for their students.

The deadline to submit those plans is Thursday.

Through a toolkit that was created and distributed by the Department of Public Health and Reproductive Equity Now, public higher education institutions were tasked with building relationships with nearby abortion providers, developing a plan to help inform students and faculty of their rights and their options, and detailing what the school has done and will continue to do to help students receive a medical abortion, the document said.

The state will then review all of the readiness plans it receives by Jan. 31, before working with universities to put them into effect. This will be an annual process, according to the state.

Here are what some of the colleges in the Pioneer Valley are doing:

UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst started offering a medication abortion option to its students and faculty after hearing feedback from students about the “notable distance to providers from the Amherst campus,” said Ed Blaguszewski, executive director of strategic communications for UMass.

Since the school already had a “longstanding commitment to providing confidential gynecological and reproductive health services,” it added the non-invasive service in the fall 2022 semester, Blaguszewski said.

In April, after a federal ruling on a court case in Texas that blocked the FDA’s approval of the abortion medication mifepristone, Gov. Maura Healey requested the UMass Amherst stockpile abortion pills on campus. She later ensured students’ rights to medical abortions would be protected by state law.

UMass also provides a number of additional sexual and reproductive health services to its students and faculty.

Students can get information about the services through any of the well-being and health safety programs the university offers, such as the Center for Health Promotion and the Student Wellbeing Advisory Board.

Community colleges

Included in Springfield Technical Community College’s abortion readiness plan are referrals to community resources for access to abortion medication, resources and support services, a spokesperson for the college said.

STCC is working with the state to develop a plan for access to abortion medication.

Holyoke Community College’s website does not list its plan, but does provide information on nearby clinics.

Private universities

While private higher education institutions are not required to submit a readiness plan to the state, some are already equipped with information for their students and faculty. Amherst College is one such institution.

On its website, Amherst College’s Health Center says that it provides free, safe and confidential pregnancy testing, counseling and support, including referrals for obstetric care and pregnancy termination.

Western New England University does not provide information about abortions or pregnancy awareness on its health services website, but does offers a list of nearby medical centers and clinics.

What is a medication abortion?

There are two ways to safely terminate a pregnancy: in-clinic abortions and the medication abortion, which consists of two pills: mifepristone and misoprostol.

In the toolkit, the state listed Hey Jane, a telehealth and medication abortion provider, as a resource. In June, Massachusetts became the 11th state to allow residents and visitors to access Hey Jane’s services.

Hey Jane is the “first virtual clinic providing abortion care to accept insurance,” and the service offers “sliding-scale pricing based on each patient’s personal and financial circumstances,” said Kiki Freedman, the company’s co-founder and CEO.

The company also has partnered with the Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund to assist patients who are struggling financially.

“Our goal is to enhance access and affordability for comprehensive abortion care, ensuring that more individuals, including college students, can get the care they need,” Freedman said.

Medication abortions are available for patients within the first 10 weeks of their pregnancies, depending on the state they live in. If a patient requires or would like an abortion after that time period, their alternative solution is the in-clinic abortion.

Because of the Dobbs decision, 12 states have enforced a near-total abortion ban. And a dozen more have placed restrictions on abortions — including gestational bans, or where procedures are restricted or banned by courts, according to a study done by the Guttmacher Institute, which was formerly connected to Planned Parenthood.

Even with Massachusetts’ protections for patients trying to get an abortion, state law still has limitations. Unlike states such as Oregon and California, where abortion rights are well-protected, the commonwealth bans abortions at and after 24 weeks of gestation, unless medically necessary.

Fifteen states, including several Southern states, have heavy restrictions on patients.