BY CLARE HOWARD
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois recently released results of an investigation begun in 2015 into Heartland Health Services and found the Peoria clinics limit birth control availability for many low-income residents in the community, creating “an enormous burden” for women seeking contraception.
Heartland receives federal tax funding but limits its contraceptive services because of restrictions imposed by OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.
ACLU noted in its report that areas of Peoria have teen pregnancy rates higher than the statewide average.
According to the report, Heartland operates two of its clinics, 1701 W. Garden Street and 320 E. Armstrong Avenue, on property owned by OSF. The lease agreements restrict those clinics from offering birth control.
The ACLU report stated that providing bus passes and requiring women to travel 30 to 50 minutes on public transportation to Heartland’s East Bluff clinic poses a significant hurdle to obtaining care. The East Bluff clinic offers contraceptive services once a week, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday.
Heartland spokeswoman Jamie Messmore said Heartland has not yet seen the ACLU report and no changes in operation are planned at this time.
Several months ago, Messmore confirmed these restrictions exist at some location.
“We have had several conversations with ACLU,” she said at that time. “We have the same goal in mind: access to healthcare for all.”
The ACLU report stated that “These restrictions are likely exacerbating persistently high rates of teen birth, particularly for the low-income, African Americans in the Peoria community.”
Rev. Marvin Hightower, president of the Peoria NAACP, said the organization has not officially discussed this issue but is aware of it and is concerned.
Another problem highlighted in the ACLU report was Heartland’s arrangement to refer women with complicated pregnancies and women in need of tubal ligations to OSF, a Catholic hospital with religious restrictions.
The ACLU report recommends that Heartland remove all religious restrictions either by renegotiating lease agreements with OSF or by ending its affiliation with OSF.
Elaine Hopkins, president of the Peoria Chapter of the ACLU, said, “It’s essential for all women to have choice, and federal clinics ought to be providing choice. Women in the South Side of Peoria shouldn’t have to take a bus for an hour on a certain day of the week. This is a federal clinic supported by our tax dollars. We’re paying for it. Peoria has a huge problem with unintended pregnancies, and these clinics should be helping women access contraception.”
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Jamie Messmore, director of marketing at Heartland Health Services, released the following statement after Community Word went to press:
Heartland Health Services response to ACLU Inquiry
Heartland Health Services is dedicated to the health and wellness of the entire Peoria community. Due to the ACLU’s recent inquiry into our contraceptive practices we are evaluating our processes and procedures for women’s health services. We recognize that the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERD) as part of our lease agreement with OSF HealthCare at two sites (Garden Street and Armstrong Avenue) can be challenging for our current and potential patients. We are evaluating our internal processes to ensure that every woman has access to affordable contraception.
Family planning and contraceptive services are (and always have been) available Monday- Friday during regular business hours at our East Bluff, Carver, and Human Service Center locations. Transportation assistance (cab vouchers and bus passes) is available to any patient with a transportation need. We have also recently expanded our women’s services with the addition of two nurse midwifes, Mary Tisdale and Carolyn Calhoun, at the East Bluff location.
There is future expansion on the horizon in Peoria and in Tazewell County in the late spring with the opening of our Pekin location in the Court Street shopping center. The Pekin location will offer OBGYN and contraceptive services. Additionally, we are beginning discussions with OSF HealthCare about purchasing the Garden location, lifting the current ERDs affecting contraceptive services in the 61605 zip code.
Heartland Health Services has served the Peoria area for 25 years with the mission of providing high quality healthcare services accessible to all. We value our relationships with both healthcare systems in Peoria and recognize the benefit of excellent healthcare options in Central Illinois. We welcome further collaboration with community partners to improve the health and wellness of our community.