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August 4, 2011
Statement from Tanya Atkinson, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, on the Facts of Alberta Darling’s service on Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s Board of Directors and her Record in the state Legislature
“Alberta Darling was a member of the Board of Directors at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin from 1986-1995. During the nearly ten years that Darling served in this leadership capacity, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin was doing the same work we do now: providing high quality reproductive health care and accurate, honest community education about sexuality and reproductive health to those who are in need.
“In 1989, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s Board of Directors decided to begin providing abortion care in 1990. Ninety-seven percent of the health care provided at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is preventive, including annual exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment and birth control. Darling continued to serve on the Board of Directors at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin until 1995.
“Darling was elected to the state Assembly in 1990. Darling was elected to the state Senate in 1992.
“In this year’s budget deliberations, Senator Darling introduced the motion in the Joint Finance Committee that defunded Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization serving as Wisconsin’s largest, oldest and most trusted reproductive health care provider. Her amendment eliminated state support to nine health centers serving 12,000 patients in small communities like Kenosha, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and WI Rapids. The essential health care services provided at these health centers include life-saving cancer screenings, birth control and STD testing and treatment. Abortion care is not provided at these health centers.
“The budget also jeopardizes the highly successful BadgerCare Family Planning program, which was started by the Thompson Administration to prevent unintended and teen pregnancy. Through the robust BadgerCare Family Planning Program Wisconsin has today, more than 57,000 uninsured Wisconsinites have access to preventive reproductive care including cancer screenings and birth control at providers throughout the state.
“Both during this budget process and in previous legislative sessions, Senator Darling repeatedly voted against women’s preventive health initiatives, including contraceptive equity to ensure Wisconsin women have fair coverage of preventive medicine in their health insurance plans. She also voted against public health initiatives, such as comprehensive sex education designed to reduce unintended teen pregnancy.”
Statement from Tanya Atkinson, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, on the Facts of Alberta Darling’s service on Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s Board of Directors and her Record in the state Legislature
“Alberta Darling was a member of the Board of Directors at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin from 1986-1995. During the nearly ten years that Darling served in this leadership capacity, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin was doing the same work we do now: providing high quality reproductive health care and accurate, honest community education about sexuality and reproductive health to those who are in need.
“In 1989, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s Board of Directors decided to begin providing abortion care in 1990. Ninety-seven percent of the health care provided at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is preventive, including annual exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment and birth control. Darling continued to serve on the Board of Directors at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin until 1995.
“Darling was elected to the state Assembly in 1990. Darling was elected to the state Senate in 1992.
“In this year’s budget deliberations, Senator Darling introduced the motion in the Joint Finance Committee that defunded Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization serving as Wisconsin’s largest, oldest and most trusted reproductive health care provider. Her amendment eliminated state support to nine health centers serving 12,000 patients in small communities like Kenosha, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and WI Rapids. The essential health care services provided at these health centers include life-saving cancer screenings, birth control and STD testing and treatment. Abortion care is not provided at these health centers.
“The budget also jeopardizes the highly successful BadgerCare Family Planning program, which was started by the Thompson Administration to prevent unintended and teen pregnancy. Through the robust BadgerCare Family Planning Program Wisconsin has today, more than 57,000 uninsured Wisconsinites have access to preventive reproductive care including cancer screenings and birth control at providers throughout the state.
“Both during this budget process and in previous legislative sessions, Senator Darling repeatedly voted against women’s preventive health initiatives, including contraceptive equity to ensure Wisconsin women have fair coverage of preventive medicine in their health insurance plans. She also voted against public health initiatives, such as comprehensive sex education designed to reduce unintended teen pregnancy.”