Elected officials from across the borough joined the leaders of Planned Parenthood of New York City, Thursday, for a groundbreaking ceremony for its new health center in Long Island City. When the 14,000-square-foot state-of-the-art center opens in May 2015, it will be PPNYC’s first in the county allowing 24,000 client visits within the first year of operation.
“We’re thrilled to bring our services to Queens’ residents,” PPNYC President Joan Malin said. “For nearly 100 years, New Yorkers from all five boroughs have relied on PPNYC because they can trust us for high-quality, affordable care. Already, nearly 5,400 Queens residents travel to other boroughs to come to PPNYC health centers. There’s a clear need for more sexual and reproductive health services in Queens, and opening this new center will enable PPNYC to better serve the health care needs of all New Yorkers.”
Services at the health center, at 21-41 45th Road in the Court Square neighborhood, will include birth control. Pap tests, breast and cervical cancer screening, pregnancy testing and counseling, gynecological care, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing and counseling, as well as abortion services.
“Queens is the fastest growing and most diverse county in the United States,” PPNYC Board Chairman Diane Max said. “But six in ten pregnancies are unintentional. Clearly it’s essential that this community needs a responsible health care provider and that provider is Planned Parenthood.”
With nearly 14-percent of the Queens population living below the poverty level and the highest rate of uninsured women and girls of all five boroughs, the addition of the facility will positively affect countless individuals in the surrounding area.
“Thirty years ago these things were whispered about when I was new to the state Assembly,” Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood) said. “All this time we’ve been strategizing to bring these services to Queens where they are so desperately needed.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
