WWLP | Public Colleges, Universities Submit Abortion Readiness Plans to the State

BOSTON (WWLP) – Public colleges and universities across the state have to submit a medication abortion readiness plan by Thursday. 22News explains what this entails for the medication abortion toolkit.

Last year, the state passed a law that requires public institutions of higher education to develop a plan for their students seeking a medication abortion. According to the Administration, medication assisted abortion is “a safe, effective, common and non-surgical method of ending a pregnancy, prior to 70 days of gestation.”

To assist in crafting these plans, the administration in partnership with Reproductive Equity Now, launched a publicly available Medication Abortion Toolkit. This blueprint provides guidance to public institutions, like UMass Amherst and Westfield State University.

Included is everything from a guide to creating a relationship with nearby telehealth abortion providers if care is not available on campus, to support for liability insurance, insurance coverage and confidentiality.

Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity, said in a statement to 22News, “Students face some of the largest barriers to accessing abortion care in Massachusetts. As more and more states move to restrict or ban access to abortion nationwide, it’s more critical than ever that Massachusetts colleges provide abortion care for students who may or may not call Massachusetts their permanent home.”

Now, private universities are not subject to this law and do not need to craft their own readiness plan. However, the administration published the toolkit publicly to give any institution the ability to review it if they are interested in increasing access to medication abortion.

These plans are to be submitted to the Department of Public Health and must be reviewed by the end of January