Adrienne Mansanares

New regional Planned Parenthood head announces expanded medication abortion care

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A Planned Parenthood clinic in Albuquerque added medication abortion care to its options this month, creating a sixth clinic in New Mexico to offer some level of abortion care in the state. Adrienne Mansanares, the new president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, told NM Political Report that in addition to the expanded care at the Northeast Heights clinic, she is hopeful that PPRM will also be able to formally announce a larger clinic in Albuquerque sometime later this year, as well. Mansanares said the expanded care at the Northeast Heights clinic will enable PPRM to help with both the needs of the local community, patients traveling from other areas of New Mexico that lack abortion care access and continue to serve people coming from other states, such as Texas. Mansanares, who was the chief experience officer for PPRM beginning in 2016, stepped into her new position to replace Vicki Cowart, who announced her retirement last fall. 

Cowart said through a news release that she couldn’t “think of a more passionate, dedicated and forward-thinking leader” than Mansanares. “The impact Adrienne has had on this organization cannot be overstated, and PPRM will be in strong, talented, and innovative hands under her leadership,” Cowart said.

Adrienne Mansanares

Oklahoma anti-abortion laws could add to strain on NM clinics

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The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday it would hear oral arguments regarding a restrictive Texas anti-abortion law on Nov. 1. But, on the same date, Oklahoma is expected to enact three highly restriction abortion laws. The laws are medically unnecessary, Adrienne Mansanares, chief experience officer of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, told NM Political Report. Reproductive rights groups have sued Oklahoma and, while a judge struck down two of the original five anti-abortion laws earlier in October, the courts are still considering the other three under appeal.

Abortion Access

How the Texas abortion ban is affecting New Mexico abortion providers and funds, almost four weeks in

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An abortion provider in New Mexico said the increase in patients from Texas will no longer be manageable if it continues in the coming weeks. Adrienne Mansanares, chief experience officer for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, told NM Political Report that the group’s clinics are “not in crisis right now.”

But she said they are “in an unhealthy place” and it “won’t be manageable in the coming weeks if we continue to see the percentage increase from Texas.”

Mansanares said of the roughly 3,000 abortions that take place in New Mexico annually, Planned Parenthood provides about 700 of them. “What we saw in the first week [of September] is what we typically see in a month,” she said. She said there are about 55,000 abortions in Texas each year. Abortion clinics in New Mexico cannot continue to absorb the need from Texas abortion patients indefinitely, she said.

Adrienne Mansanares

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains expands telehealth to help patients in New Mexico

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To make reproductive health care more accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has created an app to help patients in New Mexico. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains announced the app to help patients obtain medication contraceptives and urinary tract infection (UTI) treatment during the pandemic. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains said this will help those already facing barriers to accessing care. Communities of color, people with low incomes and young people are disproportionately affected by the public health crisis, Adrienne Mansanares, PPRM chief experience officer, said in a statement. “Expanding telehealth is an important step to making reproductive care more accessible in New Mexico, and to continue to serve the communities who rely on us for high-quality, affordable, compassionate care.