ICYMI: Rep. Sykes Tours Akron Planned Parenthood Facilities
AKRON, Ohio — In Case You Missed It: Yesterday, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) toured Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio’s (PPGOH) first-ever community pharmacy, PPRx, to discuss the essential services PPGOH provides for Akron and greater Ohio communities through the Akron Health Center. Rep. Sykes’ visit highlights the continued need for reproductive health care services amidst disruptions caused by ongoing attacks from both the Trump administration and lawmakers in Ohio to defund Medicaid, prohibit patients from using Medicaid at Planned Parenthood health centers, cut Title X funding, attempt to reinstate 24-hour waiting periods for abortions, and more.
“The Akron Health Center is a lifeline for thousands of people across Summit County and northeast Ohio,” said Rep. Sykes. “It represents what we should all want in health care: access, compassion, and dignity. Planned Parenthood has been here for generations helping Ohioans make informed, responsible choices about their health and I will continue to use my platform in Congress to protect that care, fight for fair Medicaid reimbursements and Title X funding, and strengthen protections for patients and providers.”
Rep. Sykes was joined on the tour by Erica Wilson-Domer, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, who underscored the challenges the organization faces.
“Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio thanks Rep. Sykes for visiting our health center and pharmacy to learn more about the essential services we at PPGOH provide members of the Akron community through our health center and our community pharmacy, PPRx,” said Erica Wilson-Domer, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. “Our primary focus at our health centers is to deliver the highest quality of care to all patients, regardless of gender identity, income level, or health insurance provider. As our state and federal lawmakers continue to undermine access to gender-affirming care and other necessary health care services, PPGOH health centers and PPRx serve as a safe haven where patients can trust that we will meet their health care needs.”
The Akron Health Center serves more patients than any other Planned Parenthood in Ohio, serving more than 5,000 people in 2024 alone. More than half of these patients rely on Medicaid. With state and federal funding cuts exceeding $10 million annually, PPGOH has already been forced to reduce staff and close health centers in Cleveland, Springfield, and Hamilton.
The opening of PPRx marks a major step forward in addressing barriers to care. Located in a pharmacy desert, the Akron pharmacy allows patients to access essential medications directly on-site, expanding access to contraception, gender-affirming care, and other critical prescriptions.
“Right now, Ohio Republicans are manipulating our maps to reduce our political power and voices,” said Lauren Blauvelt, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio. “We need to continue holding our elected officials accountable, and we are glad Congresswoman Sykes cares to talk to her constituents about how gerrymandering has led to the silencing of the majority of Ohioans who support reproductive freedom and jeopardized PPGOH’s ability to provide preventative and life-saving care to Ohioans who use Medicaid.”
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio operates 12 health centers and two surgical centers throughout Ohio, offering reproductive health care services for generations of Ohioans, supporting people of color, those with low incomes, and the LGBTQ+ community. PPGOH is committed to the health and safety of Ohio residents by doing everything they can to ensure everyone has access to the full range of reproductive health care, including safe and legal abortion.
As Chair of the Reproductive Justice Task Force within the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, Rep. Sykes has been fighting back against these attacks on Planned Parenthood and health care in general. She has introduced amendments in the reconciliation process to remove Medicaid cuts, led a letter to Speaker Johnson on the importance of Medicaid to reproductive health care and Planned Parenthood, and is a co-sponsor of the Restoring Essential Healthcare Act to repeal these harmful cuts to Planned Parenthood.