Planned Parenthood of the Heartland announced yesterday that the organization and Planned Parenthood of Southeast Iowa “have signed a letter of intent to merge into one affiliate by June 30, 2011.” Founded in 1964, Planned Parenthood of Southeast Iowa currently serves residents in seven counties through clinics in Burlington, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Mount Pleasant, and Washington. The merged organization will be called Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and will serve women and men in “twenty-five health centers in Iowa, four health centers in Nebraska and three Education Resource Centers in Des Moines, Lincoln and Omaha.” After the jump I’ve posted the full press release announcing the merger plans.
Once the merger is complete, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland will be the only Planned Parenthood affiliate in Iowa, serving residents across the state. In 2009, the largest Iowa affiliate (then called Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa) merged with Planned Parenthood of Nebraska and Council Bluffs to form Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
Last December, Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa signed a letter of intent to merge with Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. That merger is now complete. Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa was founded in Cedar Rapids in 1980 and had served a five-county area (Linn, Jones, Jackson, Dubuque and Delaware) since 1990.
May 23rd, 2011 (DES MOINES, IA) – Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (PP Heartland) and Planned Parenthood of Southeast Iowa (PPSI) have signed a letter of intent to merge into one affiliate by June 30, 2011. The expanded organization will be named Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
“This is an exciting opportunity for both PPSI and PP Heartland. Our communities deserve access to affordable quality health care. The merger will allow us to provide additional services to more women and families in Southeast Iowa,” says Cherry Klein, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeast Iowa.
Jill June, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, will remain so after the merger of the two organizations is complete. The joint administrative office will continue to be located in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Both PPSI and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland believe that access to critical health care services keep our communities healthy. Merging into one affiliate will provide an opportunity to expand services to those in Southeast Iowa,” says June.
The expanded organization will offer new services including adoption, sexual assault exams, male services, age appropriate education programs and more.
After the merger is complete, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland will have health centers located throughout Nebraska and all of Iowa. The new affiliate will operate a total of twenty-five health centers in Iowa, four health centers in Nebraska and three Education Resource Centers in Des Moines, Lincoln and Omaha.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has served women and men of all ages in the Heartland since the mid-1930s. Today the agency offers a full range of quality reproductive health care services to residents in Nebraska, 86 Iowa counties and three counties in Illinois through 23 medical centers and Education and Resource Centers located in Des Moines, Lincoln and Omaha.