ACCESS removes barriers and builds the power of women to achieve reproductive justice.
Most people believe that reproductive health care is easy to get in California, because we enjoy some of the strongest reproductive rights in the nation. Medi-Cal covers prenatal care and abortion, and low-cost family planning services are widely available. Legally, there are few restrictions on abortion.
Yet, thousands of women in California still find it nearly impossible to act on these rights or obtain reproductive health care without a struggle.
Reproductive rights are meaningless when you don’t know where to get birth control, no abortion provider accepts your insurance, you are afraid to seek prenatal care because of your immigration status, or the closest clinic is hours from your home.
ACCESS was founded in 1993 by clinic escorts who witnessed the many barriers women were facing – especially young or poor women – to actually obtain an abortion. The vision for ACCESS was not only to provide information and practical support on all aspects of reproductive health, but to build a community actively working to meet the real needs of women.
We combine direct services, community education, and policy advocacy to promote real reproductive options and access to quality health care for California women. No other organization in the state provides the same range of support for women considering or seeking an abortion.
The information above can be found on the official website of ACCESS: Women’s Health Justice. For more details about the organization and to find out how you can volunteer, please visit their website: http://accesswhj.org