Family Planning shuts down

Christina M. Rafael

Staff Writer

Shasta County has experienced some disappointments and gains in the past few months in health clinics. Family Planning Inc., a health clinic that provided free STD and pregnancy testing as well as sexual education information, was shut down a few months ago due to lack of funding.

“The loss of Family Planning Inc., is a big loss….a huge loss,” said Debbe Hartridge, the education director at Six Rivers Planned Parenthood in Eureka; “they were seeing a lot of youths, about 5,000 a year, [which is] one third of what we get at Six Rivers.”

Family Planning Inc. may have lost funding, but many community programs have decided to carry on with its goals. The Shasta County Consortium of Community Health Centers has taken over one part of the clinic – its education – and mainly its Community Challenge Grant. Its primary goal is to keep clinics open and to make sure people get proper health care and information, whether they are insured or not. Women’s Health Specialists, on Victor Avenue, also took over two pieces of the clinic.

“As a community we’ve been getting together to provide community needs,” said Shasta Consortium member Trish Harris, “We’ve established a web site (shastateenhealth.com) which has clinic information and locations.”

There has been a gain to compensate this loss to the community: a new Planned Parenthood facility. Planned Parenthood is a health clinic that deals with family planning subjects like STI testing, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception, and birth control. They treat both sexes and all ages. They also are completely confidential with all patient information, regardless of age. The new office opened in November and has been busy this month.

“We’ve had about 50 people this month,” said Mary St. John, the director of community services and education, “we’ve been open about two days a week, Thursday and Friday, and have limited hours since we’re just starting up”.

The new Planned Parenthood is located in Redding at 2935 Bechelli Lane in Suite C. For more information and/or to set up an appointment call (530) 351-7100.