Model and Strategy
Women’s Community Clinic will safeguard access to contraception and abortion, so that all Bay Area women and girls can keep making their own decisions about their bodies – no matter who they are, or how little they can afford.
The Clinic provides judgment-free, educational health care that puts women’s dignity and agency front and center: the goal is to give women the tools and support they need to take charge of their own well-being. Services include a full scope of sexual and reproductive care, including abortion, as well as primary care and mental health counseling.
With a new administration in Washington, DC whose policy priorities are hostile to women’s reproductive choice, it’s more important than ever to make sure all women have a trusted place to go for affordable, judgment-free care. That’s why Women’s Community Clinic, as one of the only San Francisco clinics that specifically serves low-income and uninsured women, will be expanding its capacity to see clients by 20%.
Impact
By providing access to reproductive health care that is client-centered, educational, and judgment-free, Women’s Community Clinic equips women with the tools they need to take charge of their own health – leading to lifelong well-being for them and their communities.
We believe that our clients know best what’s right for them. We also believe that when women have the power to control their reproductive choices, they have the power to take charge of their future – and that of their loved ones.
Health care experts agree with our vision: access to preventive care – including cancer screenings and contraception – is the single best way to reduce the rate of serious illness, such as cancer or HIV, and unintended pregnancy. This not only lowers long-term health care costs, but also means stronger communities. Studies show that women’s health is an especially important predictor of community success: around the world, communities are healthier – economically, socially, and medically – when women have the freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies.
Health experts also agree that client-centered models of care are especially successful in improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities. By focusing on active listening, building trust, and respecting the agency of the patient, client-centered care providers can respond better to their patients’ needs. Patients in turn feel more supported, which makes them more likely to develop and stick with healthy habits and behaviors.
Leadership
-
Carlina Hansen
Executive Director