$10 Million Made Available for Reproductive Health Center Security Upgrades

In a press release on Thursday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $10 million would be made available to reproductive health centers to strengthen security in the wake of the United States Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

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Qualified reproductive health centers will be allowed to submit proposals to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and are eligible to receive up to $50,000 in funding to make improvements to their security. The grants are aimed at ensuring that anyone seeking reproductive health care can safely access the resources that they need following an increase in anti-abortion activity in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and led to the banning of abortions in a number of states.

In the wake of that decision, New York has sought to strengthen its laws safeguarding reproductive health rights. In the press release, Governor Hochul stated "I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that reproductive health care and abortion services continue to be available, accessible and safe not only for New Yorkers, but for any woman who has been denied the right to make her own healthcare decisions."

Many states, New York included, have been looking for ways to protect women seeking reproductive health care who come from states that have now banned abortion or are likely to ban it in the near future. Much of that includes updating laws to prohibit cooperation with states seeking criminal penalties for women who receive reproductive health care, but making facilities physically safer is another top priority.

The funding provided by the state can be used for a number of security improvements, including physical security infrastructure as well as training for staff or organization members. The Division of Criminal Justice Services expects to fund up to 200 projects over the next two years.